Second Chance
by Vreee
Summary: I didn't ask for this. You aren't... right. But, don't worry. I'll fix it. I'll make things better than they were before. Won't that be great, Shizzy? Shizuo/Izaya, Shizaya
1. Let's play a Love Game

Anyone who lived in Ikebukuro was well acquainted with the way the town ran, and who ran the town. Those who were ignorant quickly became tutored, most often painfully or fatally. This is why, as a certain blonde man stalked his way through a busy street on a boiling Saturday afternoon, his path was found quite unhindered by the throngs of wary pedestrians. They watched as he suddenly stopped, whipped his head to the left and right, then swore violently. The mothers shot him looks of loathing, clasping their hands over their gleeful children's ears.

Shizuo Heiwajima snapped his toothpick into halves, fourths, and eighths, grinding the stick into a soft powder and gnashing his teeth together. Today was turning out to be a _very _bad day. Everywhere he turned, he was being nipped at by that damn flea. At every swivel of his head he saw a dash of black, a streak of fur, always gone by the time he had focused on his target. He knew that the bastard was watching him, taunting him, and waiting.

Shizuo opened his hand, watching the wind steal away the remains of the toothpick. He had _promised_ Tom that he wouldn't start any fights while his friend was away, and he was pretty damn sure the flea knew it too.

His eye twitched as another flash of movement darted across a rooftop. He tore his eyes away, hissing under his breath. Izaya wasn't going to quit this anytime soon. He needed to deal with this now, before he began destroying public property again. He broke away from the crowd, turning into an alley. Once he had put enough distance between himself and the rest of Ikebukuro, he leaned against the wall, lit a cigarette, and waited.

It didn't take long.

"Shizzy-chan…"

Shizuo snapped his head up, body tensing. "Izaya…" he acknowledged through a forced grin. The flea was dangling from a fire escape, arms entwined through the rails, a devil's smirk on his face.

"You've been so quiet lately, Shizzy" Izaya drawled lazily, eyes never leaving Shizuo's. "It's so nice to walk down the street without ducking for flying trash bins."

"Oh? You've been following me an awful lot for someone who likes to keep their organs intact." The blonde countered, clenching his smoke between his teeth. "Usually _I _have to seek your sorry ass out. So nice to know you seek death at my hands, I'm truly more than happy to oblige."

"Ah, I'm afraid not" Izaya sighed dramatically, flipping over the rails, landing a few feet away from the other. "I do not want a shameful death at the hands of a brute like you. But if you like, I can direct you to some competitors of mine tha-

"If this is all, I'm done here." Shizuo snapped, making an abrupt turn down the alley. The flea was wasting too much of his time for this crap.

"Wait."

Shizuo stopped midstride as he felt lanky arms encircle his waist. He felt the other watching, testing for his reaction. He tensed as he felt Izaya's face slowly bury itself in his shoulder blade. He lifted his arm and took a slow drag of his cigarette.

"So you're here for that then." Shizuo said, his voice empty of feeling.

"We haven't played that game in so long, Shizzy." Izaya murmured, and Shizuo could feel the grin on his back.

"And if I don't want to play?" the blonde replied coolly.

"It's not really your choice." Izaya replied, standing on his toes to give Shizuo a soft nip on the ear. "Otherwise…" he continued, nuzzling the other's neck, "I'll just keep coming back until you snap."

Shizuo pushed the man away, a low growl echoing in his throat. They stood apart, sizing up the other as Shizuo clenched his fists. Izaya absently fingered the blade in his pocket, watching the blonde carefully.

"If…" Izaya blinked, surprised. "If we play _that game_, Rule Two is being extended to two weeks."

"Unfair," the brunet protested, "It's hard enough as one."

"Two weeks, bastard, or we don't play." Shizuo repeated calmly, eyes hard. "I have much better things to do then waste my time with you."

Izaya sighed, holding up his hands in mock defeat. "Fine. You're so cruel, Shizzy-chan."

"Hardly." Shizuo replied, retreating down the alley. "I'll be back at my apartment in an hour. Be at the door or you're not getting in."

Izaya's eyes glittered as he smirked at the other's retreating back. "Like I couldn't get in on my own."

* * *

Shizuo grudgingly trudged up the stairs, dreading every step taking him closer to his apartment. He was regretting taking up Izaya on his offer, and had delayed his trip home by a half-hour. He figured he couldn't put it off any longer before his apartment was destroyed, and was now ascending to his floor, fervently praying the hallway would be empty. He hesitated on the last step, took a deep breath, and rounded the corner.

No such luck. The bastard was lying there asleep, stretched out like a cat in front of his doorway. He was earning several disapproving glares from his neighbors, and he understood why as he glanced down and saw the carpet had been carved into patterns by what had unmistakably been a knife.

"You son of a bitch!" Shizuo snarled, slamming his foot into the other's side, jolting the man awake. "I'm gonna have to pay for that!"

Izaya muttered sleepily, rolling over and propping himself up. "'Oo were late. 'S your own fault." he yawned.

Fumbling angrily with his keys, Shizuo unlocked the door and threw the other man in by his collar. "How is it my fault you have an attention disorder?!" he barked, slamming his door shut.

"It's your fault for being purposefully late, Shizzy-chan" Izaya smirked, pushing himself up to his feet, "Or maybe your watch broke? Just like everything else you touch-"

Izaya was cut off by a large hand wrapping around his throat. He choked as felt himself being picked up and slammed harshly into a wall. He clawed at the vice-grip on his neck, fighting for consciousness, as Shizuo leaned in close.

"You are so damn annoying." The blonde said quietly. Izaya struggled to breathe, knife forgotten in his panic, as Shizuo slowly tightened his grip. Just as his vision went hazy, Izaya felt himself being released. He stumbled, slumping against the blonde. He gripped at the other's shirt as he coughed violently.

"Aha…ahaaa" Izaya panted, a small grin working onto his face. "Always... so forceful…"

"Shut up." Shizuo growled, grabbing Izaya's chin and yanking him into a harsh kiss, effectively cutting off further annoyances. The brunet tilted his head up, relinquishing a small sound of pleasure as he wrapped his arms around his captor. He deepened the kiss momentarily before being forced to tear his head away, gulping in air. He looked up at the blonde with an apologetic grin. "Need… more breath…"

"Hn." Shizuo grunted. "Just be quiet." He leaned down to bite at his prey's neck, vaguely enjoying the guilty shudder that wracked through the other's body.

In truth, he didn't really mind playing these games with Izaya, although he hadn't been extremely open to the idea in the beginning. The first time Izaya had suggested it, he had ended up in the hospital with three broken ribs and a fist indent in his skull, something Shizuo was very proud of. For a while the other had let the idea drop, but after a few months, he had proposed it again with a set of rules and 500 feet between them.

The first rule was that the game had to be a secret, something Shizuo had no trouble complying with. The second was that after a 'round' had been played, both of them had to leave the other alone for a full week, although currently it had been bargained to two. Izaya couldn't taunt Shizuo, Shizuo couldn't hunt Izaya, and both of them had to stay out of the other's sight. If either of the rules were broken, the game was over.

Personal reservations aside, a whole week without the flea had been a sorely tempting offer, especially since the flea had made it his mission to be as irritating as possible until the blonde reached a decision. After one particularly irritating day, Shizuo had had enough. He had sat down on top of the bleeding brunet, wiped a cut on his cheek, and calmly told the man he accepted. Izaya's only reply had been a quiet smile.

So they played. The 'rounds' had been infrequent at best, but the rate seemed to be increasing, with Izaya initiating more and more fights so that Shizuo would relent. It had always been hard for Shizuo to find a girl for pleasure, due to his hot-temper and distaste for prostitution, so he dismissed any feelings of desire as pent-up stress. He had never asked Izaya why he enjoyed this game, but he assumed it was for the same reasons. His conclusion was that the other's _charming_ personality was enough of a deterrent for any woman.

He was snapped back into reality by a harsh rub against his crotch. He glared down at Izaya, whose hand guiltily retreated to clasp behind his back again.

"Sorry," Izaya grinned impishly, reaching up to nuzzle his ear, "You looked a little distracted."

Shizuo growled lowly, bending down to hook his arm under Izaya's hips. The brunet's initial groan changed to a yelp of outrage as he was slung over the man's shoulder.

The blonde ignored him, slowly navigating his way through the apartment. He was halfway to his bedroom when he let out strangled noise, stopping dead in his tracks. The bastard had decided to make use of his dangling arms, and was now lightly fingering the crook of the blonde's back. He heard Izaya snicker as the brunet's hands snuck further down into his pants, playfully groping the flesh he could reach.

Shizuo snarled, patience worn out. He abruptly turned towards the living room, making his decision. He tossed the other man onto the couch, enjoying his look of shock. His good mood faded as Izaya's eyes began glittering mischievously.

"My, my, the couch today, Shizzy?" Izaya purred, watching as Shizuo straddled him, eyes dark. "How vulgar…"

"You lost bedroom privileges." Shizuo snapped, harshly pulling down on Izaya's jacket. The brunet arched, allowing the other man to slip his jacket off his shoulders. As he wriggled, trying to remove the rest of the article, Shizuo suddenly pushed on his chest, forcing him back down.

"Hey!" Izaya protested, struggling to free his hands of the constricting fabric.

"You lost a _lot_ of privileges." Shizuo said pointedly, nipping at Izaya's collarbone. The other shuddered violently, eyes glazing over.

"Oh… am I going to be punished then?" he asked breathlessly.

Shizuo rolled his eyes, then his hips, delighting in the low keening noise from underneath him. He lowered his head against Izaya's chest, slowly tracing the outline of his body, reveling in the delighted gasps. The man was so damned thin, and Shizuo would admit he had a nice curve. He moved his hand down to Izaya's crotch, feeling the heat pulse from beneath the thin layer of fabric. He smirked, giving the bulge an agonizingly slow squeeze as the man writhed underneath him. Eyeing Izaya's neglected chest, he grabbed the shirt and pulled it up with his teeth, descending to suck on a soft pink bud. He continued his slow, teasing squeezes and licks while holding down the now almost bucking Izaya.

He saw the man straining against his jacket confines, desperately trying to pull himself against the other's body. With a quick glance, he determined that it wouldn't take much to bring the other to completion. He sighed inwardly, suddenly desperate to finish this quickly.

Izaya's eyes widened as he felt arms wrap around his back, pulling him against flush Shizuo's body. He panted heavily, trembling in ecstasy as he felt the man's hot breath against his ear.

Shizuo grinned, feeling Izaya's chin dig into his shoulder. He knew exactly how to finish this. He turned his head, nuzzling Izaya's hair, feeling the other stiffen against him.

"Iz-ay-a…" he groaned, grinding shamelessly downward. He felt the brunet arch, and quickly covered the other's mouth with his own, swallowing his scream. He stayed there for a while, waiting patiently until the other rode out his pleasure. When he was sure the other was finished he broke the kiss, glancing downward to read his expression. Shizuo blinked.

Izaya had fallen asleep.

Shizuo swore violently, then flopped back down on the couch, an irritated growl escaping his lips. He kicked the brunet a few times, trying unsuccessfully to rouse him. Groaning, he weighed his options. He couldn't leave the brunet outside his door, his neighbors disapproved of him enough as it was. He couldn't toss the man out the window, however enticing the idea was. And he didn't dare leave the man alone in his apartment. He snarled in frustration, hitting his head against the cushions. He glanced at the brunet in anger, grumbling as he reached over and pulled the other against him. Both arms encircled and trapped the sleeping man, assuring himself Izaya couldn't get up and cause trouble in his apartment. Letting out one last sigh of frustration, he closed his eyes, slowly drifting off.

Izaya creaked open an eyelid and smirked.

* * *

AN: There needed to be more Shizaya fics. No, this isn't a oneshot~ I will be continuing~


	2. Shower Pervert

It was morning. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and… snakes…?

Shizuo grunted as he came to, a dull hissing sound slowly filling his eardrums. He sat up groggily, looking around. Something was… off. He numbly flexed his fingers, trying to recall why he had fallen asleep on his couch, and not his nice soft bed. His eyes drifted through the room. He reached up to scratch his stomach, before noticing the black coat clenched in his hand. Memory flooded back to him, and he snarled.

He pushed himself off the couch, eyes darting through the room. The flea had gotten loose and, he realized, was probably the source of the noise. He stalked through his apartment, groaning as his body twinged. He didn't understand why, but he never really felt well after sex, even though technically he hadn't gotten off. Tom was always going on and on about how he was filled with energy and youth and all that crap after a good lay. The blonde just wanted to go back to sleep.

As Shizuo cautiously peered into his bedroom, he realized the noise was coming from the bathroom. He crept closer, noticing the steam rising from the door crack. He concluded, with some irritation, that Izaya had decided to take a shower.

"Izaya!" he yelled, pounding on the door, "Get the fuck out of my bathroom!"

"Eeeek! Shower pervert!"

"OUT!" Shizuo roared.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."

Shizuo tapped his foot impatiently, eye twitching, as he heard the water being shut off. He waited for a few moments as he listened to Izaya move about the bathroom. He swore he felt a vein pop when he heard the hairdryer turn on.

"IZAYA!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, your highness!" Izaya drawled, "I thought perchance I could dress myself before leaving your precious chamber. However..." Shizuo flinched as the door opened a crack "Should master wish to see me in all my naked glory, I'm more than happy to-"

Shizuo yanked the door shut with a snarl. He turned on his heels, murderous thoughts swimming through his head as he shed himself of the shirt sticking to his chest. He threw the offending article onto his closet floor, grabbing a fresh pair of pants in the process. He grumbled as he changed, before turning towards the kitchen. It was too damn early to deal with fleas on an empty stomach.

5 minutes later, Shizuo contently hovered over a frying pan, cracking in two eggs beside the already sizzling bacon. Something about cooking always calmed him down. It reminded him of when he'd cook for his brother when they were younger. When he heard someone softly pad up behind him and felt slim arms wrap around his bare chest, he could have sworn he was eight again. The kiss against his cheek and the grope on his ass quickly broke him out of that reverie.

"Izaya." Shizuo ground out, "You better be clothed. And, in five seconds, you better be gone."

"I am." Izaya replied, ignoring the last part. He eyed the kitchen workspace appreciatively.

"You aren't getting any." Shizuo warned.

"Course not." Izaya purred. "Oo! Toast."

"Don't you da-" Shizuo snarled, but the helpless bread had already been stuffed into the other's mouth. Shizuo whirled around, holding his spatula at Izaya's throat. The other seemed to want to laugh, but probably thought better of it.

"You son of a bitch. This is **my** house and that is **my** food." Shizuo growled lowly. His eyes were drawn downward as he saw that Izaya had also chosen to bare his chest. His hips were tantalizingly displayed from the slowly sinking… baggy…

"Those are **my** pants!"

"Nomph dah naht" Izaya mumbled through his toast.

"_Ye_s, they are." Shizuo snapped. "I wore them yesterday!" Izaya rolled his eyes, gulping down food.

"NOW, they're not." Izaya corrected him, licking his fingers.

"Wear your own damn clothes!"

"You got mine all dirty, 'member?"

Shizuo turned back to his pan, refusing to meet Izaya's gleaming eyes. "So wash them."

"I did."

"Fucker, don't tell me you used my washing machine too!"

"Calm down, Shizzy," Izaya smirked, reaching up to pat on the blonde's head condescendingly, "I just rinsed them off in the bathroom."

Shizuo grunted, resisting the urge to bite the hand tangling itself in his hair.

"So put them on and get out."

Izaya sighed. "They have to dry, idiot."

Shizuo looked over his shoulder, eyes narrowed to slits. "I don't care if you have soggy clothes. I want you out."

"You're so cruel, Shizzy," Izaya pouted, trailing his hand down the blonde's back. "I'm just following the rules."

"The hell? I'm not supposed to see you for two weeks!" Shizuo protested angrily, stabbing the eggs with his spatula.

"Ah," Izaya purred, nuzzling into Shizuo's shoulder blade. "But you haven't gotten off yet. The round's not over."

"I don't care." Shizuo protested, flinching as Izaya's nimble hands teased at the front on his pants. "I forfeit my turn."

"Nu-uh, that's cheating." Izaya reprimanded with a sharp bite to the neck.

Shizuo could feel his resolve wavering with every brush of the brunet's fingers. He knew Izaya wasn't going to leave if he didn't relent, and would undoubtedly cause a scene if he got thrown out on his ass.

"You know, Izaya…" Shizuo said innocently, causing the brunet to perk an eyebrow in interest, "I really don't feel up to it right now. Why don't you come back later? I can take my turn then."

Izaya narrowed his eyes, grip tightening. "You're just trying to get rid of me."

"Yes." Shizuo admitted, unabashed.

Izaya glared at him for a few moments, before reluctantly releasing his captive.

"Fine," he decided, "but I get to decide where and how."

Shizuo rolled his eyes as the brunet retreated to the other room. He heard the other rummaging around for his clothes, praying he wasn't destroying something valuable in the process. In a few moments however, he heard the other stomp over to the entrance, followed by what was unmistakably a raspberry in his direction and the slam of a door. Shizuo hunched over the counter, exhaling in relief.

He turned back to his breakfast, which to his dismay had been burned to a crisp during his lapse in attention. He dejectedly scraped the charcoaled remains onto a plate. He eyeballed the black mess, distrusting. He hesitated, then popped a piece into his mouth. After much gagging and spitting, he dumped the rest in the trash.

Shizuo rubbed his hands over his eyes, suddenly feeling like he was going to fall over any minute. He stumbled to his bedroom, collapsing on the bed. He hazily reminded himself to get up in an hour, remembering he had promised to meet Tom at the airport. For now, however, sleep had definitely won.

* * *

"_Ah… Shizzy…."_

_He thrust into the brunet beneath him, reveling in each clenched muscle and the wet slap of skin on skin. The other's arms held him tight, his voice keening into the blonde's ear. _

"_Ah… AH!" the brunet panted, unmasked pleasure written across his face. Shizuo groaned, burying his face in the other's silky hair. _

"_Why..." he panted, voice taking on a tone of desperation, "Why do you do this?" _

_The other smirked, and suddenly Shizuo felt cold all over. Arms reached up, pulling the blonde's head down till his ear was pressed next to that sinful mouth. He tried to pull away, but found he couldn't. Those dangerous glittering red eyes held him there, commanding him, imprisoning him until he felt he couldn't breathe. The brunet smiled coldly._

"_Because I'll make you give me everything."_

_

* * *

_

Shizuo woke from his dream with a start, sweat dripping down his face. He sat up, running a shaky hand through his hair. That wasn't right. He always had dreams about buxom blondes, not lanky bastards. He glanced downward and groaned, burying his head in his hands. Fuck Izaya. He turned to look at the clock and almost screamed. Fuck _everything_. He was supposed to be at the airport 10 minutes ago! He scrambled out of bed, pulling on a shirt. He had to call Tom.

He furiously rummaged around his room for his cell. Where the hell was it?! He stopped and snapped. He'd probably left it in his pants pocket from last night. He slammed open his closet door, throwing aside old clothes. Where were they? He froze, remembering that Izaya had been wearing them. Shit. He couldn't have. Shizuo ran to the bathroom, throwing open the door.

_Fuck._

Izaya's pants were hung on the towel rack, mocking him. Izaya had left with his pants. He pulled at his hair, swearing profusely. Izaya had his phone. The son of a bitch who made it his personal business to make Shizuo's life a living hell had his _phone_.

_Fuck everything and everyone. _

Shizuo inhaled deeply, trying to calm his fraying nerves. Tom. He had to call Tom and explain he was going to be late.

Shizuo stomped over the kitchen, grabbing his home phone off the holster and rapidly dialing his friend's number. He anxiously held it up to his ear.

"Hi! This is Tom. I can't come to the phone right now-"

Shizuo exhaled as he cut off the call. Good, Tom hadn't turned on his phone, which meant he probably hadn't landed yet. He threw on his coat and ran out the door into the night. With any luck, he could still make it in time.

* * *

AN: I love you guys… seriously. Your reviews make me so happy.


	3. Good Dog

Izaya skipped down the block, ignoring worried glances and people scrambling out of his way.

Today had been a good day. Hell, today had been a great day. He was even _whistling_.

The tease-and-play with Shizzy had been satisfying enough. It was the first time he had ever spent the night, even if it had been by deceit. Waking up in those powerful, possessing arms… Izaya sighed in bliss and gave a little spin as the populace fled in the other direction.

Izaya grinned to himself, putting his hands in his pockets. The lay had been nice, but this… Izaya smugly took Shizuo's phone out and twirled it. This was _too_ good.

He flipped open the phone, mind whirling with mischief. Who to call first?

As he tabbed through the contact list, his enthusiasm fell. Shizuo only had _four_ numbers on his phone? Shinra, Celty, Tom, and… Kasuka? Oh, the little brother. He grumbled and snapped the phone shut. He couldn't trick any of those people, he either knew them or they knew Shizuo better than he did.

He flopped down on a bench, good mood evaporated. Why did Shizuo have to be so cold anyway? It's not like he did anything to deserve…. Okay, he did. Izaya grumbled, turning over. It's not like Shizuo didn't enjoy their game, he _knew_ he did. Izaya crossed his arms, thinking. How would he get out what he needed to say?

A ringing phone interrupted his reverie. Izaya's hand automatically shot to his coat, before he realized that Shizuo's phone was the one vibrating. He gleefully opened it, reading 'Tom' off the ID.

"What." Izaya grunted, lowering his voice several octaves.

"Shizuo? Where are you, man?" a voice asked. "You were supposed to meet me at the airport 3 hours ago. I'm already home."

"I forgot." Izaya shrugged, grinning from ear to ear.

A sigh echoed through the speaker. "Were you fighting with Izaya again?"

"Fight? Never. He's much too cool and handsome for me to that." Izaya choked out, smothering his giggles.

Silence fell for a few seconds. "God damn it Izaya, give Shizuo the phone."

Izaya broke out laughing. "Wow, you're so smart, Tom!"

"Look, is Shizuo there or not?"

"Nah," Izaya smirked, waving his hand. "I haven't seen him since this morning when I stole this piece of crap."

Tom was silent again. "Have you heard from him since then?"

"Nope." Izaya chirped. "Check his apartment."

"I called there…" Tom murmured absently."Look, just give the phone back to him if you see him, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah."

Tom hung up with a click. Izaya pocketed the cell, suddenly realizing something. He swapped Shizuo's phone in favor of his own. Speaking of things missing…

10 minutes later, Izaya ended the call, furious. Damn, he hated the new gangs. They had no sense of respect. They couldn't be covert, always blowing his cover, and now these assholes wanted payment before he even _saw_ the goods. There was going to be trouble with them soon, he knew it. For now, however, he needed them on his side.

He rolled his eyes, getting up off the bench and stretching. Ah well, he thought, turning to head downtown. Another day, perhaps.

* * *

Tom snapped shut his phone with an irritated sigh. Something wasn't right. Shizuo should have called him from his apartment, except he didn't seem to be there. Even if he was out, he usually used a pay phone. Where had the man gone? How had Izaya even gotten Shizuo's phone in the first place?

Tom rubbed his face with his hands. It was too late to deal with this now. He'd call again in the morning.

Shizuo should turn up by then.

* * *

Celty swerved through the hot Ikebukuro streets. Her bike whinnied as she made a sharp turn, narrowly missing a daydreaming couple. Her helmet swerved back and forth, trying to identify the people walking through the streets.

A small beep from her hip startled her concentration. She pulled up to the side of the road, ignoring the startled pedestrians. She flipped open her vibrating phone, reading off Tom's ID.

_'Any luck?'_

_'I haven't found anything.'_ Celty typed out.

_'Shit… I've been asking around the north district. No one's seen him.'_

_'Any word from the police?'_

_'Nothing.'_

_'It's been over a week, Tom. It might be that...'_

_'Don't.'_

Celty felt a pang in her chest. _'I know he's your friend,'_ she tapped out slowly _'But it's un-'_

An incoming text interrupted her. _'I turned Izaya in to the cops this morning. He's at the station right now.'_

Celty stared at the screen in shock. _'Tom, you have no proof!'_ she typed furiously 'Don't make Izaya your enemy!'

_'He had Shizuo's phone the night he vanished. That was enough evidence to haul him in for questioning. He's the most likely one, you know it.'_

_'…. I don't think Izaya would do this.'_

_'He's the only lead I've got. For Shizuo's sake, I have to try.'_

_

* * *

_

"Geez..." Izaya tilted back in the plastic chair, hands dangling limply from his sides. "I already told you, I don't know."

A harsh light tilted, shining full into his face as he threw up an arm to shield himself.

"And I said I don't believe you." A low voice rumbled irritably. "You still haven't given us a good explanation."

"For why I have Shizzy's phone?" Izaya smirked, closing his eyes. "Sorry, that's classified."

The voice was silent for a moment, before the light was jerked out of Izaya's eyes. Squinting up, he glared at the cop towering over him, arms crossed.

"Izaya Orihara." He grated out. "You're well-known around town for your fights with Shizuo Heiwajima. A lot of taxpayers' money goes into fixing your messes."

Izaya spread his hands graciously.

"And," the man snapped, clearly irked "You are also aware that because of this, you are the most likely suspect in his disappearance."

"Really?" Izaya asked innocently. "And here I thought you brought me down here for a nice cup of tea. How sad."

The man stared heatedly down at him. Suddenly, he lowered his face next to Izaya, face deadly serious. Izaya had to suppress a gag at his breath.

"I don't really care what you did to Heiwajima." The man said quietly. "Frankly, this town will be better off without him. But I want to finish this case."

Izaya glared silently. He firmly shut his eyes, brow creasing in irritation.

"For a man of the law, you're not very bright." Izaya ground out, curling his fingers. "I wouldn't kill Shizuo." The cop rolled his eyes, starting to get up.

"And I don't know where he is." Izaya added softly. The other paused. He scanned the brunet's face for a few moments. Finally, he stood.

"The phone." He said calmly, outstretching his palm.

Izaya's head whipped up. "What?"

"Heiwajima's phone." The cop snapped impatiently, beckoning with his hand. "I need it as evidence."

"You can't have it." Izaya said stubbornly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Why not?" the other asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Something to hide? Thought you said you didn't do it."

"I just don't want to give it to you." Izaya said defensively.

"You're hindering an investigation. You want to go to jail? Be my pleasure, really."

Izaya smirked dangerously. "Oh? You trying to force _me_ to do something? Thought you knew about me, Mr. Cop."

The threat hung in the air. Izaya watched as the man hesitated, smirking inwardly. Suddenly, the man reached for his communicator.

"I need two men in here." He barked. "I have a witness that refuses to release evidence."

* * *

Tom silently walked through the streets, lost in thought. His eyes would occasionally scan for signs of movement, but hope had long left him. He stopped and slumped against the side of the building, fatigue making him dizzy. His eyes swam as he rubbed them. He felt so damn helpless. Shizuo had saved his life countless times, and Tom couldn't even find him.

He picked up his phone, tabbing through the texts. A new one from his girlfriend, pleading with him to come home. He sighed heavily and picked himself up off the wall. _I'm sorry, Shizuo…_

As he turned back down the alley, he stopped and sniffed the air. That smell…. blood? He glanced at his feet, suspicions confirmed. He crouched low, rubbing the ground and squinting in the darkness. Still wet… whatever it was, it was close. A low clatter rang out from a nearby alley, startling him. Tom shot to his feet, glancing around nervously. This wasn't exactly the best part of Ikebukuro, and he didn't want to get caught up in any more gang wars. He scanned his possible escape routes when a low groan interrupted him. His eyes widened. It couldn't be…

He cautiously crept into the alley, back against the wall. He looked down again, and his stomach lurched at the pool of blood around his feet. He took another step, but faltered as he heard soft footsteps approaching. He scrambled backwards and tripped, falling onto the cold concrete. His heart thudded painfully in his chest as the sound got nearer.

Suddenly, a shaggy dog bounded out of the shadows, landing squarely on Tom's chest. As he fought to regain his breath, Tom was greeted by a series of friendly licks across his face. He laughed, pushing his glasses back onto his face.

"Well hello there," he smiled stroking the dog's head. "Aren't you friendly?" The dog yipped in agreement.

Tom blinked, noticing the blood on the dog's nose. "Oh, did you kill a cat? Was that what made the noise?" The dog gave a low whine, getting off Tom. The animal trotted ahead a few paces, then nudged something behind a stack of crates.

"Is your kill there? I really don't want to see it." Tom winced. The dog whined again.

"Have… have to..."

Tom blinked, recognizing that noise as utterly human. He took a few shuddering steps, before swallowing violently. He whipped his head around the boxes, and felt his heart stop.

* * *

AN: I'm sorry with the super late update, lots of things went down. And now I compensate with a super boring chapter, I'm so sorry! I'll try to update every week, hopefully around the same time.


	4. Bad Cops, Bad Cops

Izaya was bored. Mind-numbingly, excruciatingly, painfully bored. Something needed to die.

His eyes swiveled over the room's occupants, the chair he was currently sitting in and a rather large table. He got up and paced restlessly around. Ever since he had been dragged down to the police station, he'd had nothing but headaches. That damn police officer was snapping at him at every turn, and now he'd decided to leave Izaya in here for a _goddamn hour_. Izaya groaned and beat his head against the wall. Doing nothing was _agony_.

He huffed and collapsed down in the chair again. It was highly unlikely, in the brunet's opinion, that Shizuo was in serious trouble. The blond was built like a tank, he had to be fine. Izaya hadn't even expected the cops to bother with this case, considering Shizuo's whereabouts to be the least of their priorities. He grudgingly admitted to himself that the probable cause of their eagerness was to blame the disappearance on him. Getting rid of both of Ikebukuro's human WMD's in one swoop would be like an early Christmas.

He sighed and slid down further in his seat, burying his nose in his jacket's collar. When were they going to let him out?

His eyes flicked across the room, his need for mischief going into overdrive. God, he didn't even have his knife, having been searched hours ago. He hummed absently, flicking his pants. Finally, he pulled his hood over his eyes, and settled back into the chair. At least he could take a nap.

* * *

"_Mm… Shizu-chan…"_

_Damn, he felt good._

"_Ah… Ah!"_

_Izaya smirked, tongue reaching out to lap at __**that**__ spot again. He was comfortably positioned between Shizuo's legs, the blonde on his back and hands firmly holding down Izaya's head as the brunet nipped and licked at the other's cock. _

_Shizuo was so wonderfully vulnerable, face unmasked in his want as he panted. Izaya's heart jumped as Shizuo gave another delicious groan, feeling hands clenching painfully in his hair. The brunet smiled as he gave a chaste kiss to the blonde's tip, reveling in its twitching. _

"_Oi... more teeth bastard..." Shizuo grunted, yanking on Izaya's abused scalp. The brunet rolled his eyes, responded a reprimanding bite, earning a strangled cry from the blonde. Izaya gave a few apologetic licks to the abused skin before slipping Shizuo's throbbing cock between his teeth. He hummed contently as he scraped his teeth across the heated flesh, coating the already dripping organ._

_His body shuddered eagerly, past endeavors floating through his mind and sending sensations straight down to his own hardened length. Suddenly, he slipped Shizuo out of his mouth, ignoring a rather pitiful snarl. He eyed the blonde appreciatively, eyes hazy as he licked his lips._

"_Why don't you-"_

_Izaya started as a sharp ringing from his right interrupted him. He glared hatefully at the phone on the nightstand. He reached over, preferably to destroy the thing, but Shizuo's hand beat him. _

"_It's Kasuka." Shizuo stated simply, flipping open the phone. Izaya crossed his arms, temper flaring. "So call him later." _

_Shizuo ignored him. "Hey, Kasuka, what's up? What? Panting? Oh, sorry, I just out of a fight. Yeah, sorry, sorry." He laughed, rubbing his head. Izaya pouted, leaning over Shizuo's shoulder to reply. His voice was muffled as Shizuo clasped a hand over his mouth, roughly pushing the brunet away. _

"_What? You did? That's great!" Shizuo smiled, eyes shining with adoration_. _Izaya watched, hurt. Shizuo never looked like that. The brunet flopped down and buried his face in the pillows, trying to block out Shizuo's laughter._

"_Oi…"_

_

* * *

_

"Oi!"

Izaya snapped up, startled out of his reprieve. He eyed the doorway as it slammed open, a burly cop entering.

"Orihara! Get out here!" the man barked.

Izaya rolled his eyes and pushed himself out of the chair. "_Finally._" He muttered, pushing past the other.

"Hold it." The cop rumbled, grabbing Izaya's shoulder. "Ya ain't leaving yet. We got a call from Heiwajima's friend. Yer coming downtown for a bit."

"Eh?" Izaya protested, looking over his shoulder. "Why?"

The cop chewed on his toothpick for bit, eyeing the brunet. "That guy, Tom. Says he found Heiwajima."

Izaya's eyes widened. "….Why do I need to come then?" he asked tensly.

The man tugged on the brunet's arm, pulling him down the hall. "Chief wants you there to see he can recognize you."

"Can…. Recognize?"

"Yeah. This Tom guy said Heiwajima was pretty messed up, talking gibberish. But," the cop said, eyeing Izaya distastefully, "He also said your name popped up a few times."

Izaya numbly felt himself being thrown in the back of a police car, wincing as the door slammed in his face. He slumped against the seats, shock and exhaustion overtaking him.

Shizuo…

* * *

15 minutes later, Izaya rested his head against the cool window of the car, watching dimly at the scene unfolding around him.

"You _lost_ them?!" the captain roared. The lieutenant to his right looked shaken, but managed to keep his voice even.

"The call was placed from this alleyway, sir." He responded neutrally, flipping through his papers. "The placer of the call, Tom Tanaka, said he would wait in the alley on 5th and monitor Heiwajima's status."

"But they're not here."

"No, sir. We've found traces of blood in the alley, which indicate they were here, based on Tanaka's description of Heiwajima."

"Damn it…" the captain grumbled, chewing on an unlit cigarette. "You've sent out a search, I trust."

"Yes, sir. 3 squads of men are searching the nearby streets and asking civilians for information."

"Good." The captain grunted, shutting his eyes firmly. "And Orihara?"

The lieutenant hesitated. "We can't keep him for much longer, sir. He had an alibi when the call was placed, and all we have against him the judge has counted as circumstantial evidence." The captain was silent for a moment.

"Fine. Drive him back and release him. For now. I'll radio you if the situation changes."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

Izaya perked up as he heard the car door open and shut. His eyes narrowed when he noticed a new intruder, who promptly started up the car and did a U-turn.

"Well?" Izaya asked testily, eyes flicking back to the swarm of officers. "I thought you said I was supposed to see him." Silence greeted him, and Izaya gave a squawk of protest as the car turned sharply. Glaring, he pushed himself up and banged on the car bars.

"Let me see him." Izaya repeated icily.

"Shut up." the man barked.

Izaya shot him a look of pure venom before rolling back onto the car cushions. They rode for a few minutes in silence before the crackle of a radio interrupted them. The man picked up his headset, switching it on. "Officer Yamada here."

Izaya craned his neck from the cushions, straining to hear. "What? Oh." The man glanced back at Izaya before returning his attention to the road. "10 minutes to the station. Yes. Yes. Alright." He reached over and flicked the siren switch.

Izaya was suddenly thrown back as the car shot forward. "Hey, hey!" he protested as they swerved through the streets, narrowly missing a truck. "What's going on?!"

"I need to get back." The man grunted. "But I have to drop your sorry ass off first."

"Okay, fine," Izaya sighed. "So why the rush?"

The man was silent for a moment. "Chief says we found one of them."

"One of who?"

"One of your damn friends."

"… Only one?"

"Yeah."

* * *

Shinra dashed through the hospital, side-stepping a gurney racing by. He glanced to the left, turning down the hall. He felt his phone buzz and grabbed it out of his coat, never breaking his stride. He gazed down at the phone, reading off the new text.

'Behind you.'

He turned around, seeing Celty run down the hall after him. He slowed down a bit, allowing her to catch up beside him. She thrust her phone at him.

'Where is he?'

"ICU." Shinra replied quietly. "You can't follow for much longer."

'Is he okay?'

"Don't know yet. They're trying to stabilize him now."

'Izaya's on his way here.'

Shinra stopped and turned to Celty, eyes hard. "Go outside and stall him."

'Why?'

"I'm allowed here on a favor, Celty. I can't deal with Izaya right now." Shinra replied coolly. He pushed open the double doors behind him, leaving Celty alone in the hall.

She gripped the phone tightly in her hand. Damn it…

* * *

Izaya leaned back, squinting up at the shining hospital. He knew it was unwise coming here. The police would use this to implicate him in a heartbeat. But he needed to see.

As he reached for the door handle, he was surprised to see Celty exiting from the opposite door.

"Ah, Rider!" he waved in greeting.

Celty stopped and turned, acknowledging him. She watched as he reached for the door again, before placing her hand across his. Izaya looked up, curious. Celty watched him for a moment before shaking her head gently.

"I'm going in." Izaya protested stubbornly. Celty shook her head again, firmly pulling the brunet back by his jacket. She tapped out a message and held it up to him.

'You're not. Let the doctors do their jobs.'

Izaya crossed his arms irritably, looking to the side. Celty gently released his jacket, watching his face. She turned and made her way down the steps, beckoning Izaya to follow. She sat down on a bench and looked up. Izaya was still standing firm at the entrance, glaring down at her. She motioned at him again, this time with a visible threatening aura.

Izaya sighed dramatically and held up his hands in defeat, making his way over to the woman. He sat down beside her, lacing his fingers together. They sat for a moment, staring up at the sky.

"So which one of them did they find?" Izaya asked with a yawn. Celty looked over at him, but could find nothing but bland disinterest on his face. She reached for her phone.

'Shizuo.'

"Ah." Izaya said quietly. Suddenly, his face broke into a grin and he stretched backwards. "Ah, well, there's nothing to worry about then." He looked over at the other, smiling. "Knowing my luck, he's perfectly fine, right?"

'Stop being indirect.'

"Ah, sorry, sorry." Izaya laughed. "Is he dead or not?"

'He's in intensive care. They're trying to stabilize him now.'

Izaya stared at the screen for a full minute, meaning sinking in. He turned away, his back to Celty. Silence resumed as Celty listened to the streets and threw worried glances at the other.

"Hey, Rider."

Celty started. 'Yes?'

"Where was he found again?"

'Shinra said somewhere around 5th district.'

Izaya waited a few moments before speaking again.

"And what gang controls that area?"

Celty began typing out her reply, before realization hit her.

'Izaya. There's no proof. Don't be reckless.'

Izaya shoved her phone away, straightening. "Never mind. I'll figure it out myself."

Celty lunged for his coat again, but Izaya quickly side-stepped her, breaking into a run. Celty stood up to give chase, but Izaya was already gone.

* * *

AN: Assume nothing.


	5. It's Always the Aliens

"Hey. Hey, Mikado!"

"Mmmrh..."

"Oi!"

Mikado lifted his head off the desk, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He turned to the blond beside him. "Oh, Kida. What's up?"

"Geez... Thanks for noticing me." Kida huffed. "But dude, guess what!" He thrust a newspaper into his friend's face. "Check it out!"

Mikado blinked sleepily. "50% off feminine products?"

"Yes. Yes, Mikado, that's exactly what I wanted to show you. No! Look at the top!"

Mikado picked up the paper and scanned through the print. "Whoah… Is this for real?"

"Yeah!" Kida said excitedly, stabbing the headline with his finger. "Can you believe it?"

"Last night, a gang war erupted in northern Ikebukuro leaving… over 300 wounded or killed?!" Mikado stammered. "This can't be right!"

"Nope, it's real!" Kida grinned, nudging his friend's shoulder. "Look at the other side; it has everyone they've identified so far."

Mikado hesitantly flipped the page, eyes widening as he looked down the list. "Oh my God…"

"Yeah…" Kida said softly, "Most of them were the gang members, but a few civilians got caught up too. I even heard some visiting doctors got killed in the crossfire."

"This is terrible…" Mikado said softly. "Why did this happen?"

"Dunno," Kida shrugged. "They just got super pissed yesterday or something. The police are looking into it."

Mikado sighed, closing the paper. He looked up sharply at his friend. "Why were you so happy about it?"

Kida brightened visibly, clapping his hands together. "It's the girls, man. They're all terrified right now."

"…So?"

Kida rolled his eyes and leaned against his friend. "So?! They feel all vulnerable, man! Perfect pick-up time!"

Mikado pushed the blonde away. "You're horrible."

"Wha- Hey!"

"I'm not talking to you."

"Mikado!"

* * *

Shinra exited the surgery room with a sigh, holding his hands to his chest. He turned into a nearby clean station, desperate to rid himself of his bloodied gloves. He tossed the offending garments into a nearby bio-disposal and bent over the sink.

He winced as the cold water made contact with his hands, furiously scrubbing away at the blood. Shinra always hated the way that blood crept under his nails, even if he was wearing gloves. How did that happen, anyway?

He thrust his arms back under the running water and shrieked. The temperature was now _boiling_. He hurriedly retracted his hands, turning the knobs frantically.

"Hey! Quiet down!"

Shinra turned halfway, keeping his hands over the sink. A blond nurse was standing in the doorway, eyeing him suspiciously. "Who are you? You aren't a doctor here."

Shinra smiled guiltily at her. "I'm sort of a temporary doctor."

The nurse raised an eyebrow. "I'm in charge of staff. We didn't hire any temps."

Shinra's arm moved to rub his head sheepishly, but he thought better of it. "I'm not getting paid. It's more of a charity case."

"Oh? How so?" she accused.

"I'm in charge of Shizuo Heiwajima currently."

"Huh." She said skeptically. "What, you were the only one they could find to work on that monster?" Ignoring Shinra's silence, she glanced around the room. "If you're working on him, why are you in here?"

"Ah, I promised the Director I would perform some of the autopsy duties in exchange for permission."

"What? You're working for free _and_ doing extra duties? Do you have some sick fascination with this guy?"

Shinra laughed awkwardly. "I suppose. I find his inhuman strength fascinating, don't you? Operating on him has been a dream of mine."

The nurse tsked disapprovingly, turning to leave. She suddenly stopped in the doorway and looked back at him. "Hey, what kind of insurance does he have?"

Shinra forced a smile. "The very best."

The nurse shook her head. "How on earth does a guy like that get the top coverage?"

Shinra shrugged, watching quietly as she left. He listened to her footsteps retreat down the hall for a few moments. When he was sure she was gone, he leaned back on the wall and exhaled slowly, closing his eyes.

"Oh!"

Shinra started, looking back at the door. The nurse stuck her head through the frame and motioned at the hall.

"You might want to head back soon. I heard some noises coming from your friend's room. Try to make sure he doesn't break anything, okay?"

* * *

Shinra gently pushed open the hospital door, trying to be as quiet as possible. He looked over at the bed. It _looked_ like Shizuo was still sleeping soundly. The only sound he could hear was the steady beep of the heart rate monitor and the blonde's deep breathing. He crept up to the bed and gently prodded his friend.

"Shizuo?" he called softly.

"Boo."

"GAAAAAAAA!" Shinra screamed, jumping a foot into the air. He whirled around, clutching his heart.

"Izaya! God damn it, that's not funny!" he yelled at the snickering brunet.

"Shhh…" the man giggled, waving his hand. "You'll make the nurses come in."

"No, I won't." Shinra said stiffly, trying to calm his erratic heartbeat. "They're scared to death of him."

"Ah, I don't blame them." Izaya said seriously, plopping down on the bed. "Look at him. Scariest vegetable I've ever seen." He reached over and pinched Shizuo's cheek. "Rawr!"

"Stop that." Shinra said sternly, swatting away Izaya's hand. "How'd you get in here?"

"The outside walls of this hospital are extremely scalable." Izaya said innocently. "They should probably fix that."

Shinra glanced at the open window and sighed. "**Why** are you here then?"

Izaya smirked and fell back on the bed. "Hiding."

"From what?"

"The cops."

"You started that gang war." Shinra accused.

Izaya blinked, shooting Shinra a look of fake shock. "Gang war? What gang war?"

"Don't play dumb."

"Okay, maybe." Izaya smirked, stretching his arms in the air.

Shinra was quiet for a moment. "I heard it started in the northern district."

"Yep."

"That's where Shizuo was found."

"Really now?"

"You knew that." Shinra stated quietly. "Celty told me you asked her. She also told me you ran off after the answer."

Izaya rolled over to face his friend. "Mm, so?"

"… Did you start the fights because of Shizuo?"

Izaya scoffed. "Don't be stupid, Shinra. I'd been having trouble with the gang in that area for a while now. Celty simply reminded me. So, I rounded up some of my, ah, _friends_ and took them out. That's all." Shinra gave Izaya a long, hard look.

"Ah. Well, that's good." Shinra suddenly shrugged, turning away. "Considering Shizuo had no external injuries, it's unlikely a gang was involved anyway."

He waited, slowly counting down. _5…4…3…2…1… _

"What?"

Shinra smiled and turned back to Izaya. "You heard me. He wasn't hurt. At All."

Izaya glared suspiciously. "I suppose the blood came out of nowhere, then?"

"An external source," Shinra dismissed. "It wasn't his own."

Izaya looked over his shoulder at the sleeping blond. "So he killed someone, then."

"Possibly." Shinra admitted. "He might have just wounded them. Or it could have been a wild animal, or any number of things."

"If he's not injured, why is he wasting a hospital bed?" Izaya asked, propping up on his arm.

Shinra hesitated. "We're not sure yet."

"Oh?"

"My theory is a drug. His vitals were extremely low when admitted, and he seemed to be suffering from hallucinations. His body still seems to be suffering from _something_, but I can't identify the source. Everything's shown up negative on all my tests." Shinra muttered irritably.

"You don't like being beaten, huh."

"I'm not beaten!"

Izaya snorted and rolled over to face Shizuo again. Shinra watched his friends for a few moments before turning back to his charts. A few minutes lapsed in comfortable silence as Shinra scrawled across his notes.

"Are you testing the blood found on him for a DNA sample?"

"Yes," Shinra replied, not looking up from his work. "We should have the result in a few hours."

Silence resumed. Shinra passed a few more minutes in the room before deciding he'd had enough. He peered over his glasses at Izaya and sighed. "You shouldn't be in here you know."

"I'm hiding." Izaya said, not bothering to turn around again. "This is the only place the police won't look."

_No, it's not._ "I'm going home to change and cook dinner. I'll probably be back in a few hours."

"I want to hear your life story, I really do. Tell me, boxers or briefs?"

"It'll be dangerous if he wakes up and you're here alone."

"Like Mr. Vegetable's a threat right now."

"Alright," Shinra shrugged, placing his hand on the door. "But please don't antagonize him if he does."

"No promises."

Shinra pushed through the door and closed it gently. Making sure it was locked firmly behind him, he turned to leave, but hesitated. Slowly, he peeked through the small window in the door. Although he couldn't see Izaya's face, he noticed a thin hand gently stroking Shizuo's blond hair. A moment later, however, a quivering switchblade was embedded in the opposite side of the glass, and Shinra decided it was time to leave.

* * *

A few hours later, Shinra walked down the hospital's hallways yet again, this time with a visibly sour mood. He'd returned home happy, having waited impatiently to be with Celty after a long day. However, as soon as he'd walked in the doorway, he'd been bombarded with little typed _'How is he? What's happening? What's wrong with him? Did you read the paper? Have you seen Izaya?'_. When he'd let it slip that Izaya was with a defenseless Shizuo, he'd been kicked out the door and ordered back to the hospital without even so much as a hug.

Shinra crossed his arms irritably, failing to notice the nurse trying to get his attention. "Dr. Kishitani? Dr. Kishitani?"

"Hm?" he said, looking around. "Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there."

"It's alright. Your lab results are back."

"Ah, thank you." He smiled, taking the folder. "Has there been any change?"

The nurse frowned and tilted her head. "He's still asleep. But, when I went in to change the IV, it looked like the some of the fruit bowl had been eaten. I'm sure he hasn't moved though…"

"Ah, that was me!" Shinra apologized quickly. "I didn't get to have lunch today."

"Eating the gifts of patients is against regulations, Dr. Kishitani."

"Sorry, sorry, won't do it again!" he laughed nervously, ducking into the hallway. His smile immediately dropped into a frown of annoyance. _God damn it, Izaya._

_

* * *

_

Shinra knocked slightly on Shizuo's door, and slipped inside. He squinted in the dark for a moment before flicking on the light. After a few moments, Izaya poked his head up from the side of the bed. Shinra noticed, with some irritation, the mango clamped in the brunet's mouth.

Izaya took a large bite and hopped back onto the bed. "Hey, Shinra. These things are delicious."

"Stop eating those. You're getting me in trouble." Shinra sighed, dropping down into a chair. "Shouldn't you go home now?"

"Mm… yeah." Izaya yawned. He made no move to get up.

Shinra rubbed his face with his hands, noticing he was still holding the folder. He flipped it open and scanned through the pages.

"What's that?" Izaya asked, peering over.

"This can't be right…"

"What?"

"The blood sample… it didn't come back with an ID." Shinra murmured, thumbing through the folder.

Izaya stretched. "It has to belong to someone."

"Whoever it is, they're not registered." Shinra said thoughtfully. "This complicates things."

"Maybe it was an alien!" Izaya grinned, sitting up. "He must have been abducted. They wanted to study his lack of brain cells."

Shinra sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Izaya, go home already."

"Fine, Fine." The brunet laughed, holding his hands up in defeat. "Come escort me out, then. I don't feel like leaving through the window in the dark."

Shinra slowly pushed himself out of the chair, relieved. He beckoned to his friend as he reached for the door. Izaya leaned over and tapped Shizuo on the forehead. "Night, Mr. Vegetable."

"Stop prodding hi-"

"Nn." Shizuo groaned.

Izaya blinked once, twice. He leaned closer.

"…. Shizzy?"

The blonde's eyes fluttered open.

* * *

THE END.

AN: What? April Fool's was yesterday? Oh, never mind.

Unfortunately, I will be going on a road trip this week, so this is your early-Thursday update. You might get lucky and have one on Thursday too, but probably not.

On a positive note, I'm working on an prologue for this piece, and it's getting longer by the day. However, because of its spoiler content, it will not be released until the completion of this story. Sorry!


	6. Twisted Sisters

Izaya felt his heart quicken as Shizuo's eyes slowly opened. He opened his mouth to speak, but was rudely cut off as he was thrown from the bed. Wincing from the cold floor, he glared up at Shinra as he massaged his head. The doctor shot him a look that clearly said _stay out of sight_. Shinra turned back to the blonde, a smile firmly in place.

"Shizuo? How are you feeling?" he called softly.

The blonde blinked hazily.

"Shizuo?" Shinra tried. Shizuo looked up, faint recognition in his eyes.

"Are you feeling well? Does anything hurt?" Shinra asked, concern creeping into his voice. Shizuo's eyes drifted from his friend, settling back into a vacant stare. "Shizuo?"

Shinra felt his knees buckle. He collapsed into a chair, holding his head in his hands.

"What's wrong with him?" Izaya mouthed from the floor.

"I don't know," Shinra whispered weakly, rubbing his temples. "Head trauma?"

"But he's not injured." Izaya murmured thoughtfully, peeking up at the bed. Shinra glared at him, pointing back down at the floor. He suddenly stopped, a thoughtful gleam in his eye. "Get up."

"What?"

"Up." He ordered, tugging at his friend's sleeve. "I want to test something." He pulled the brunet from the floor, glancing at the oblivious blond.

"Shizuo?" Shinra said gently. The blonde turned, attention drawn again. Shinra pushed Izaya forward, holding the struggling man in place. "Do you know who this is, Shizuo?" Izaya tensed, eyes flicking back and forth uneasily.

Shizuo blinked again, eyes traveling over Izaya slowly. After a few moments, he turned his head and closed his eyes, ignoring the two.

Shinra let out a shaky sigh and released the brunet, falling back into the chair. Izaya rubbed his arm absently, eyes trained on the blonde. "What was that for?" he hissed, refusing to look at Shinra.

His friend picked up his folder and began writing frantically. "I needed to see how bad it was," he said resignedly, flipping a page. "Considering the lack of a violent response, I'm inclined to label it as memory loss or an irregularity in the brain."

"Thanks for warning me." Izaya grumbled. He stood there for a few moments, watching as Shizuo drifted back to sleep. His heart suddenly gave a painful throb. He grimaced, clutching his chest as Shinra continued writing obliviously. Izaya stood there for a moment, before turning and heading for the door. Shinra glanced up, startled. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Home. It's late, I need my beauty sleep."

"Wait, now? But…"

"It's fine, all the cops up at this hour are half-asleep anyway." Izaya said casually, faking a yawn.

"What? Oh. But, Shizuo…"

"Don't care." Izaya grinned oddly, pulling open the door. "Night, Shinra."

Shinra winced as the door slammed shut, staring in confusion after his friend.

* * *

Izaya irritably flicked his knife open and closed as he ascended the stairs to his loft. It was wrong. Everything was wrong. Shizuo was wrong. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing his headache away. He needed to think. A hot bath would do nicely right now.

Izaya pocketed his knife and fished out his apartment keys, turning the lock. He stumbled in, rubbing his head and shedding his jacket. His eyes flicked over to his living room and he stilled. The lights were on. The lights hadn't been on when he'd left. Years of working with the yakuza had left Izaya very aware of his surroundings and very aware when something wasn't right. Someone had been, or _was_ in his apartment. Izaya slowly fingered the blade in his pocket, body tensing.

He silently crouched, crawling behind the couch and listening intently. The TV was on too, albeit softly. Was someone waiting for him? He gently pushed his ear against the fabric. The material shifted, and he heard a small sigh and a slurping sound. Izaya's eyes narrowed, debating whether or not to make his presence known. Finally coming to a decision, he flicked open his knife, lunged over the couch and pressed the steel against a small, pale throat.

"Hey, Iza."

"Mairu…" Izaya groaned, removing the blade. The girl was seated comfortably on his couch, eating from a bowl of noodles. She waved her chopsticks at him in greeting before returning to her meal. He eyed his sister with irritation, looking around. "Where's Kururi, then?"

"In the kitchen, getting more ice cream." Mairu said, slurping from the bowl. "You need to go shopping."

"I went shopping three days ago." Izaya said with a forced grin.

"And I said, you need to go shopping again." His sister smirked, setting down her now empty bowl and smacking her lips.

Izaya sighed. "Such charming little sisters I have." He flopped down beside her, stretching out his tired body. Dimly he noticed Kururi enter with two cups, who gave him a nod in greeting. She sat down on the other side of him, passing a cup to her sister. "Hi… Iza."

"Hey Kururi." Izaya said distantly, giving her a short rub on the head. At least she talked less. "So…"

"So, what?" Mairu prompted, taking a bite of her ice cream. Kururi mimicked her.

"So, why are you here?" Izaya continued with a roll of his eyes. "It's late, and I'm not used to such casual raids on my house. How'd you get in here, anyway?"

"Picked the lock." Mairu said, eyes glued to the television. "And we wanted to ask how Shizuo was."

"How do you know about that?" Izaya asked suspiciously.

"Blogs… (A couple of blogs)… Kasuka's…. (said that Kasuka's brother)… hospital… (was in the hospital)." Kururi explained.

"Ah." Izaya nodded, a small irritation creasing his brow.

"So, what's wrong with him?" Mairu asked again, turning towards her brother. "Something has to be wrong if you came back in one piece." Kururi looked up with mild interest.

"Dunno," Izaya shrugged, avoiding their curious gazes. A moment of silence passed. "Was it your fault?"

"Wha- Hey!" Izaya protested, sitting up.

"Usually... (It usually is)." Kururi yawned.

"Thanks for that." Izaya groaned, rubbing his face. "He's suffering from head trauma or something. Can't talk, but seems to recognize his name."

"You didn't answer the question." Mairu growled, jabbing her brother with her spoon.

"NO, it wasn't my fault." Izaya snapped, pushing her away. "Stop pestering me! Go bother Shizzy if you're so curious."

"We can't. We don't know what hospital he's at." Mairu said innocently, eyes darting from her brother to her slightly smiling sister.

"That… large one, near the mall." Izaya said dismissively, waving his hand. "Room 305." He suddenly stilled, realization hitting him.

The two girls dashed for the door. "Thanks for the food, Iza!" Mairu laughed, pulling her sister after her. Izaya bolted up, dread filling him. "Mairu, Kururi, get back here!" His sisters were already gone.

Izaya groaned deeply, falling back onto the couch. Great. _Just great_. He turned over, exhaustion settling in. He needed a nap. Sleep… He'd deal with this after.

He tossed and turned for a few moments, mind unable to settle. He suddenly sat up, irritation at its peak. Grumbling, he grabbed a pillow and cinched his arms around it. He lay down and buried his face in the fabric, willing himself to sleep.

_Damn it…_

* * *

"_Sh…"_

"_This is going to be so good. Okay, lean over. No, like this. Yeah." _

"_Wake…?"_

"_Yeah… okay, go."_

"Iza…"

Izaya groaned, burying himself deeper into his pillow. Not yet…

"Iza, wake up…"

Izaya mumbled, lifting his head. "_What._" He hissed drowsily, refusing to open his eyes.

"Iza, look up."

Curiosity peaked, Izaya slowly creaked open an eyelid. He gave a short scream, scrambling to the other side of the couch. "Mairu, **the hell**?!" he yelled, eyes darting to his sister.

His sister grinned wickedly, leaning against the object of his discomfort. "Wow, you're such a brave brother." She glanced up. "Right, Shizuo?"

The blond blinked at her, then turned back to Izaya, slightly cocking his head. He was standing over the spot where Izaya had been, with Kururi on his back. The girl was affectionately playing with his hair, watching her brother with mild expression.

"Why… why the hell is he here?!" Izaya snarled, hand over his heart. His eyes traveled up and down the blond, who was dressed in a rather baggy shirt and jeans. "And why is he wearing that?!"

"We didn't know his size." Mairu said simply. "We didn't have time to check before we went to get him."

"How did you get him out of the hospital?" Izaya snapped. "He's still unwell!"

"Like you care." Mairu smirked, rolling her eyes. Izaya bit back a reply. "We just made him change so the nurses wouldn't notice us leaving with him. Well, one did, but she didn't seem to care."

"Wait, wait. Back up." Izaya said holding up his hands. "Did you guys plan all this out? How?"

"Simple…" Kururi said quietly, nuzzling Shizuo's head.

"We already knew from the blog that Shizuo had been found with mental problems." Mairu explained, putting her hands on her hips smugly. "So we decided to take him home with us. We bought some clothes from a thrift store, found what hospital he was in, courtesy of your idiocy, and got him to come back with us. And now we want sweets." She added.

"You just… took him from the hospital?" Izaya said weakly.

"Yeah…" Kururi frowned a bit. "Easy..."

"We just told him to get up and change, and he did." Mairu shrugged. "We were planning on tricking him or something, but he's like, really passive."

"So, what, he just follows orders now?" Izaya snorted.

"Mhm."

"I see…" Izaya sighed, leaning back onto the couch arm. "Insanity aside, you brought him here because…?"

"If Kasuka's brother goes missing, he has to go looking for him." Mairu explained excitedly. "This way, we can bring Shizuo to Kasuka when he gets here, and then he'll like us for sure. Also, if we keep Shizuo here, we can blame you for the kidnapping if something goes wrong."

"Oh. That's fine with me." Izaya said blandly, staring at the ceiling. "I totally _won't_ sell you both out when the police come knocking."

"You better not," Mairu sniffed, "Or we'll tell Shizuo to squish you."

Izaya lifted his head from the couch. "You wouldn't dare."

Mairu turned to the blonde. "Shizuo?" she asked sweetly. The man looked down at her, breaking the staring contest he seemed to have entered with Kururi. "Shizuo, please go sit on my brother." Mairu said, pointing at the couch.

Izaya flinched as Shizuo gently lowered Kururi to the ground, eyes on Izaya. "Okay! Okay!" Izaya stammered, holding up his hands in defeat. "He can stay here. Fine."

Mairu smirked, holding her ground. Shizuo took a step towards Izaya, a slightly curious look on his face.

"Mairu… Tell him to stop…" Izaya whined weakly, scrunching up into the couch. "What do you want?"

"Dessert…" Kururi smiled, lacing her fingers together.

"You guys already ate all my ice cream!" Izaya protested as Shizuo towered over him.

"Oh yeah…" Mairu said thoughtfully. "Well, give us money to go get some, then."

"My wallet's in my coat pocket!" Izaya said frantically. "Now call him off!"

"Kay. Shizuo, please don't sit on my brother." Shizuo halted, but continued staring at Izaya blankly. Izaya sighed apprehensively, slipping off the couch. Kururi was already rummaging through his discarded coat, and held up his wallet triumphantly.

"Thanks, Iza! We'll be right back!" Mairu called back, opening the door.

"Wait a minute!" Izaya yelled after her. "Aren't you taking him with you?"

"Nah. We might be seen. You watch him." Mairu dismissed, pulling her sister after her and slamming the door.

Izaya flinched, and slowly turned his head. Shizuo was staring vacantly at him, as if unsure what to do. Izaya gave him a weak grin.

"Ah… Hey."

* * *

AN: I'm back! And I'm spoiling you guys rotten. I promised myself not to update till Thursday to keep this on a schedule, but a friend promised me a pretty picture if I update today, so you guys get it early.


	7. Mr Sandman

Izaya stood in his hallway, mind reeling. Shizuo was in his apartment. Shizuo was in his apartment, staring straight at him. And Izaya pretty much had nowhere to run. He licked his lips nervously, wondering if the man was going to lash out and kill him, or continue standing there vacantly. Shizuo chose to do the latter.

Izaya hesitantly took a step left, trying to skirt around the blonde blocking his hallway. Shizuo mimicked him, mild interest on his face. _Still useless, then_. Izaya rolled his eyes and slipped past the other, ignoring the confused look. He headed towards the kitchen to see what could be salvaged for his dinner.

As he entered the room, he almost tripped over the empty boxes strewn across the floor. He grimaced, gingerly picking one up by the corner. His sisters hadn't been kidding about his need to go shopping again. He tossed the remnants of his pantry aside, rummaging through the cupboards. At least the soups looked salvageable. His fingers hovered over his choices when he felt a large shadow fall across his back. Izaya froze.

"Shizzy," Izaya said through gritted teeth, turning around and pressing his finger against Shizuo's nose. "You're starting to creep me out." The blonde crossed his eyes, attempting to look down at the appendage.

Izaya grit his teeth in annoyance. "Alright, _out_." He grumbled, turning Shizuo and pushing the other man out the door. "Go! Sit on the couch or something."

Shizuo allowed himself to be steered to the other room, flopping down on the couch. Izaya grumbled as he switched on the TV, rapidly pressing the buttons. He flicked to the History Channel before standing up and giving the blonde a glare. "Stay." He ordered, pointing at the couch. Shizuo's attention was already lost on the screen.

Leaving the blonde to his own devices, Izaya re-entered the kitchen with a sigh. He ran a hand through his hair, turning his attention to his neglected stomach.

* * *

Five minutes later, Izaya returned from the kitchen, desperately trying to balance the bowl of soup in his hand. He glanced over at his couch and groaned. Shizuo was turned away from the TV, fast asleep. Izaya wobbled over, flopping down on the couch arm. He nudged Shizuo's head with his elbow irritably. "Oi, move over. Don't hog the couch."

Shizuo made a small noise, bunching himself up. Izaya squirmed in beside the blonde's head, settling the bowl on his lap. He leaned on the couch arm, absently flicking through channels as he stirred his soup. Late-night television sucked. He was halfway deciding between a water-skiing squirrel and an infomercial before a small moan interrupted him. Izaya glanced down at the blond as he made another soft noise in his sleep. Shizuo shifted again, resting his head against the brunet's thigh. Izaya winced as his heart throbbed painfully.

"You're not really being fair, Shizzy." Izaya murmured, trying to ignore the thudding feeling in his chest. He reached over and tousled Shizuo's hair. "You forgot me, after all." His hand absently stroked through the blonde's locks as Izaya forced his attention back to the TV.

After a few minutes, however, Izaya felt his eyes droop. He slid down on the couch, rubbing at his face. He knew he should go to bed, but he wouldn't _couldn't_ leave Shizuo alone like this.

He glared half-heartedly down at the other. Sighing, he slid in beside the stretched-out blond, trying to not fall off the limited space. He gently shoved the other against the back of the couch, squirming for more room.

Suddenly, he felt strong arms encircle his waist, pulling him tight against a hard chest. Startled, Izaya glanced back at Shizuo, but the blonde's eyes were still firmly shut, breathing even. Had it been subconscious?

Izaya felt his eyes slip once more. He thought again about leaving for his bed again, but as he felt Shizuo's warm breath on his neck, he decided the couch wasn't all bad.

* * *

_Bzzzzzzzt_

…..

_Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt_

Izaya groaned, turning over and blindly groping for his phone. He opened his blurred eyes and saw the pocket of his jacket slowly vibrating across the floor. He felt Shizuo's deep breathing against his back and knew the blond was still asleep. He gently peeled himself from the other's arms, slowly stumbling over to his coat. He fumbled around in his pocket, grabbing the phone and flicking it open. He drowsily read the caller ID.

Shinra.

_Crap… _

He grimaced, holding the phone up to his ear. "Hello?"

"Izaya, _what the hell_."

"Oh, Shinra! What a pleasant surprise." Izaya purred.

"Izaya, where's Shizuo?"

"What?" Izaya asked, false shock lacing his voice. "Did Mr. Vegetable wander off?"

"Mr. Vegetable walked right out of the ward." Shinra said in the same falsetto voice.

"Oh dear, that is a problem. And you accuse me? I don't hunt damaged goods Shinra. It's not sporting."

"Really? Because the nurse I talked to saw him leaving with 2 little red-eyed sisters of yours."

_Oops._

"So, I'm going to ask you again. Do you know where Shizuo is?"

Izaya was silent for a moment, weighing his options. He crossed his arms, still feeling the slowly receding warmth around his waist.

"I have no idea where he is, Shinra." Izaya said finally.

"Liar."

"That hurts, it really does."

"I'm coming over."

Izaya hung up with a click, rolling his eyes. This was all Mairu and Kururi's fault anyway. Where were they?

As if on cue, a loud banging was heard coming from the door.

"Iza, let us in!"

"Now…"

Izaya pocketed his phone, sorely tempted to leave the two outside. He yawned as he headed for the door, opening it a crack. "I don't really _want _to let you in."

His sisters glared up at him, each holding bags brimming with colored candy. "Do it, or we'll cry so loud the neighbors will wake up."

Izaya sighed, unlatching the door. His sisters pushed past him, jerking their bags away when Izaya tried to steal a piece.

"Where's Shizuo?" Mairu asked expectantly, swiftly unwrapping and popping a caramel into her mouth.

"Couch," Izaya shrugged, reaching for the bag. "C'mon, share. It was my money."

Mairu ignored him, pulling her sister into the living room. The two plopped down on the floor next to the couch, staring at the snoring blond expectantly.

"Aw, he's asleep." Mairu huffed.

"Drug?" Kururi asked curiously.

"Tempting, but no." Izaya laughed, leaning against the wall and rubbing his face again. "Maybe he's asleep because it's the middle of the night and you two should go _home_."

"No." Mairu stated simply, slipping another candy into her mouth. Izaya opened his mouth to retort, before noticing the small vibration coming from his hand. He opened his phone, reading off the text.

"Fine." Izaya said suddenly, a small smirk working onto his face, "You can stay." Kururi gave him a look, suspicions raised. "What?"

A knocking sound interrupted her. Izaya's grin widened. "Oh, good. That was fast."

His sisters jerked their heads up, now throwing worried glances at the door. Izaya sauntered over, placing his hand on the knob. His sisters looked at Shizuo and back, frantically waving for their brother to stop. Izaya blew them a kiss and swung the door open. "Hey, Shinra!"

Shinra gave Izaya a withering stare before pushing past into the apartment. Izaya smiled, following his friend to the living room. Shinra stood over Shizuo, giving the blonde a brief examination.

"You said you didn't know where he was." Shinra said lowly, refusing to turn around.

"Where who was?" Izaya said innocently.

"Shizuo!"

"Oh, yeah. I have no idea where he is."

"He's right there!" Shinra snapped.

"No, that's Mr. Vegetable, Shinra." Izaya grinned condescendingly. "I don't know where Shizuo is."

Shinra threw up his hands in exasperation. Mairu and Kururi, ignored on the floor, slowly rose and launched themselves at Shinra.

"Shinraaaaaaaa!" Mairu wailed, clinging to his long coat. Kururi grabbed his pants leg, burying her head and hitching her shoulders in fake sobs.

"Ah… eh?" Shinra stammered uncomfortably, trying to pull free.

"We're sorry Shinra! We didn't want to take him!" Mairu sobbed, burrowing into the coat. "Iza said we had to! Or he'd cut the heads off our dollies!"

Izaya gave a small snort of amusement. The last time his sisters had gotten dolls as a present, they'd stripped the toys of their heads, stuck them on pencils, and thrown the bodies away.

Kururi wailed with her sister, rubbing her face into the pants leg. Shinra's eyes softened and he glared over at Izaya. The brunet rolled his eyes. "Oh please. As if I'd send them to do a kidnapping. They could never pull it off cleanly."

"We so did!" Mairu snapped, before clapping a hand over her mouth. Izaya laughed, pushing himself off the wall.

"One, you guys got seen. _Amateurs_. Two, you apologized to Shinra before you even knew that _he knew_ you took Shizuo. Three, you pretty much just confessed right there." Izaya smirked, ticking off the numbers on his fingers. Mairu stuck her tongue out, letting go of Shinra's coat.

Shinra gave Izaya a nonplussed look. "Why would they take Shizuo, then?"

"Shizzy's brother is that famous guy, remember?" Izaya shrugged uncaringly, "They're his biggest fanboys or something. They wanted Kasuka to come here looking for him."

"Ah." Shinra nodded as Izaya sidestepped Mairu as she threw a punch. "Hey," Shinra scolded, catching her arm. "Don't do that again, okay? Shizuo could have hurt himself. He's still not well."

"Sorry, Shinra." Mairu said mournfully, hanging her head. Kururi copied her, rubbing her eyes at nonexistent tears. Shinra smiled at them, completely fooled. "You guys are good kids, right?"

"Right!" They chorused. Izaya snorted again.

Shinra stretched, looking over at Shizuo. "I guess I'll come pick him up in the morning, then." Izaya blinked, startled. "What?"

"Well, I walked over here," Shinra yawned, "And he's asleep so I can't take him back now."

"Is he going back to the hospital?" Izaya asked casually.

"Nah," Shinra said, rubbing his head sleepily, "They already cleared out the room for someone else. I'll take him back to my place, observe any changes there. Celty can help, they get er, _got_ along pretty well."

"Yeah, they do." Izaya said quietly.

"Well, I'll send Celty over for the pickup later." Shinra waved tiredly to his friend as he opened the door to leave.

"Hey, Shinra?

"Hm?"

"Catch."

Shinra gave a yell as Kururi and Mairu were flung out the door after him. Izaya quickly slammed the door shut and leaned on it.

"Wha- Hey, Izaya!"

"Iza, you jerk! Let us in!"

"Shinra, can you drop off my sisters at home for me?" Izaya said sweetly, quickly fumbling through the locks.

"No!"

"Thank you!" Izaya sang, skipping down the hall and out of earshot. He glanced at the clock and felt all his exhaustion rush back. 4:09 a.m.? Really?

Stumbling into his room, he collapsed onto his bed, not even acknowledging the fact he needed to change his clothes. _Badly_. He slipped under the covers, burying his face in his pillow. As his consciousness faded, he briefly wondered if Shizuo would be alright by himself. But then the world went black, and he stopped worrying about it.

* * *

AN: Hm, not a really interesting chapter. Sorry. Sleepy Shizzy.


	8. In the Dark of the Night

It was around 5 a.m. when the screaming started.

At first, a sleep-dazed Izaya had assumed it was the television, or another dispute amongst his neighbors. He quickly realized, however, that the sounds were coming from his apartment. A large crash erupted from his living room, and Izaya bolted out of bed.

Izaya skid into the living room. His eyes widened as he gripped the sides of the wall. Shizuo was hunched into a ball on his floor, the shattered remains of Izaya's coffee table strewn around him. _Oh, god…_

Izaya swallowed thickly, tentatively stepping between the shards of glass and wood embedded in his floor. The blonde had been the one screaming, Izaya was sure of that. But now, he was eerily silent, clutching his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. The pang in Izaya's heart returned.

Izaya knelt gently next to Shizuo, cautiously reaching out and touching the blonde's sleeve. "Shizzy?"

Izaya thought back later on what a stupid idea that had been. Shizuo let out a hoarse scream, throwing out his arm. Izaya's eyes widened as he felt a fist collide with his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He skidded back a few feet from the sheer momentum, slamming his back into the wall.

Izaya doubled over, coughing violently. He gripped his side in pain, wincing as he struggled to sit up. He spat angrily, trying to rid his mouth of the copper taste of blood filling his mouth. He snapped his head up to glare at Shizuo. But the instant their eyes met, his anger died.

Shizuo was shaking. His eyes were dilated with fear and his breath was hot and heavy. The tears were running down his cheeks and Izaya's heart throbbed so painfully because _this wasn't right. _

Izaya slowly crawled from the wall, keeping his eyes on Shizuo. The blonde tensed as he approached, eyes widening, hands clenching in preparation. Izaya stopped, a few inches out of arms reach. "Shizzy…" he called softly. The blonde coughed wetly, still trembling.

Izaya was silent. He slowly reached out, testing the waters. Shizuo recoiled violently, breathe accelerating in panic. Izaya lowered his arm, troubled. He couldn't approach the blonde safely without a change in tactic. He scratched his head, deep in thought.

_Ah… Maybe?_

"Shizuo?" Izaya tried quietly.

Shizuo's eyes locked with Izaya. Izaya held the gaze, curiosity sparked. The blonde's hands slowly unclenched from the carpet, fear replaced by dull confusion. Izaya slowly pushed himself forward, inching closer. "Shizuo."

Izaya watched carefully as the man's breathing slowed, trembling reduced to mere twitches. _Was it the name? _Izaya slowly closed the distance between them, sitting across from the blond. He gently touched Shizuo's hand, cautiously watching the other's movements. "Shizuo."

Shizuo didn't recoil this time, hazily watching Izaya through lidded eyes. Izaya sighed in relief, closing his eyes. It seemed the panic attack had passed. "Now come on," Izaya said, pulling away. "You have t-"

Shizuo suddenly lunged forward, gripping Izaya's arm with bruising strength. Izaya yelped, wincing and clenching his teeth. "Ah… Shizuo, let go!" he snapped, struggling against the blonde's vice-grip. His free hand went reflexively to his pocket, but his knife was absent. _Had it fallen out?_ His eyes flicked over to a gleam of metal lying where he had been thrown. _Shit…_

Izaya tensed as he felt strong arms encircle his waist, licking his lips anxiously as he looked up at the blonde. What he saw surprised him. Instead of fear or rage, Shizuo was looking at him with a gentle calmness. Izaya swore he could feel his own heartbeat pounding in his ear.

He allowed himself to be slowly pulled onto Shizuo's lap, never breaking eye contact. Slowly, gently, Shizuo buried his face in the crook of Izaya's shoulder blade, hands clenching in the worn fabric of Izaya's shirt. The brunet was momentarily stunned, blinking rapidly at the utterly foreign feeling of being _hugged_.

Slowly, Izaya relaxed his muscles, placing his hands on Shizuo's chest and leaning into the embrace. Shizuo exhaled deeply against Izaya's neck, sending a sharp tingle down the brunet's spine. Izaya wriggled, inexplicably pleased with himself.

Izaya yawned loudly, allowing his head to droop forward onto Shizuo's chest. _Ah... it's nice_. As he felt his eyes flutter drowsily, Izaya suddenly noticed a warm wetness seeping into his back. _What?_ He jerked out of Shizuo's hold, grabbing the blonde's hands. Ignoring the blonde's slight struggle, he lifted them up, inspecting them in the moonlight.

It was as he'd thought. Little fragments of glass glittered in Shizuo's skin, tiny rivulets of blood flowing down his wrists. Izaya sighed irritably, placing the blonde's hands onto his lap. _Honestly. He'd __**had**__ to go for the __**glass**__-top table. _

"Wait here." Izaya instructed, standing up and brushing himself off. Shizuo gave him a pleading look, scratching at his hands. "Hey, hey!" Izaya said, startled. He bent down and pinned Shizuo's wrists to the floor. "Stop that. I'll be right back. Don't scratch." Shizuo almost looked guilty and nodded.

Izaya turned and headed towards the bathroom, ignoring the pleased feeling spiking through his system. He flicked on the light in the bathroom, rummaging through his first-aid supplies. Over the years, he'd learned to buy them in bulk. He picked up the jar labeled _-Use after day with Shizzy- _and headed back to the living room.

Upon returning, he flopped down beside Shizuo and emptied the container's contents on the floor. Careful to avoid the glass still embedded in the floor, he sifted through the small pile until he found the tweezers. He took one of Shizuo's large hands in his own, bending over in concentration. "If you smack me again, I'm not helping." Izaya warned him, placing his tweezers over the first wound. Shizuo nodded firmly, clenching his teeth in anticipation. Izaya raised an eyebrow in amusement. Clearly, the blonde didn't know he was made of sterner stuff.

Izaya expertly plucked the bits of glass from Shizuo's hand, constantly flipping and turning the appendage. The blonde stared in wonder, seemingly amazed by the lack of pain. Izaya pulled out the last shard and placed the tweezers down next to the small pile he'd created. He reached for the Bactine, popping the lid open and quietly giggling when Shizuo wrinkled his nose at the smell.

Izaya dabbed a cloth into the bottle, grabbing Shizuo's hand again. As he pressed the fabric against the fair skin, he blinked incredulously as Shizuo gave a hiss of pain. Izaya stared at the blonde for a few moments before he threw back his head and laughed. He craned his neck, planting a firm peck on Shizuo's forehead. "You big baby."

Shizuo stared at Izaya, shock in his eyes. Izaya realized with a jolt that he was just as surprised as Shizuo. _Why did I do that?_ Embarrassed, he averted his eyes, blindly grabbing a new strip of cloth off the pile. He quickly bandaged the now-cleaned hand. He repeated the same treatments to Shizuo's other hand, furiously avoiding the blonde's eyes.

Izaya nipped off the final end of the bandage, tying it firmly in place. "There." He said, leaning back to admire his handiwork. "Practice makes perfect." He looked up at Shizuo with a proud smirk, laughing at a joke only he understood. Shizuo gave him a hesitant smile in return. Izaya's stomach grumbled loudly, interrupting them. "Ah…" Izaya glanced up at the clock, reading 6:03 off its ticking hands. So much for sleep then.

Izaya sighed, standing up. Off to the kitchen, then.

* * *

Izaya angrily rummaged through the cupboards, the scowl on his face becoming more and more defined. All he had left was a jar of mustard and some broccoli. The twins never touched vegetables. Izaya grumbled, snapping the cupboards shut. He would have to go out for his meal.

Izaya re-entered the living room, rubbing his head in frustration. He glanced over to Shizuo, who was examining his bandages with interest. Izaya shook his head fondly, grabbing his coat off the hallway floor. "Shizuo, I'm going down a few blocks to get some food. I'll be right back." He explained, flicking through his nearly-emptied wallet.

Shizuo's eyes widened. He immediately shot up, struggling to get his balance. He took a wobbling step forward, barely missing a scrap of glass. Izaya lunged forward, gripping his hand. "Whoah! I don't want to bandage up your feet too. Here…" Izaya weaved Shizuo through the debris, nudging the blonde's feet when he strayed too close to pieces.

"There." Izaya tucked his hands into his pockets, looking up at the blonde now safely out of harm's way. "Can I go now?" he asked irritably.

Shizuo shook his head fervently, eyes glancing to the broken table and back. Inwardly, Izaya admitted leaving Shizuo alone like this was probably a bad idea. However, he needed food badly and broccoli wasn't going to cut it. He suspected Shizuo was in need of a meal himself.

_Well…_ Izaya shifted, thinking. The logical choice would be to bring Shizuo with him, but he didn't really want to attract attention right now. He eyed Shizuo critically, frowning at his gleaming blond hair. _Maybe a hat?_

A few minutes later, Izaya stepped back and examined his work with a critical eye. Shizuo's bright blond hair was tucked under a grey ski cap and his eyes were hidden by a thick pair of sunglasses. Izaya had been stuck with keeping the blonde in the oversized clothes, having nothing in his wardrobe that could even compare to that size. Shizuo looked overly warm and mildly idiotic, so Izaya supposed he could pass for a gangster.

As he pulled Shizuo out the door after him, and locked it firmly behind, Izaya had a sudden sinking feeling that this plan was going to backfire. Badly.

* * *

AN: Hn~ Almost at the 100 review mark. I'm so happy~

This chapter was mostly fluff, I suppose. More plot coming at you next time.

Oh god, Episode 16. GOD.

Saika loves slashing. Saika loves all of humanity. Saika expresses love through slashing because she doesn't know how to any other way.

I wonder who this reminds me of :)


	9. Food, Glorious Food

This had been a _very_ bad idea.

Izaya's mood worsened with every step as he pushed through the busy throngs of people crowding Ikebukuro's streets. Shizuo followed closely behind, awkwardly trying to squirm through as he was jostled around. Izaya glanced back irritably, quickening his pace.

It's not that anything had gone wrong. No one had stopped on the streets and tried to make trouble, Shizuo hadn't had another panic episode in the middle of the sidewalk, and all of Ikebukuro's police force thankfully seemed to be busy elsewhere.

Izaya slipped through a gap in the crowd, casually shoving a teenager out of his way. Nothing had gone wrong, no. Normally Izaya would have been overly-pleased with himself to have a plan work so well. But, as he glared back at the blonde desperately trying to keep up with him, he knew he was overly pissed at all the _attention_.

Izaya did not like to be seen. He loved being secretive, playing puppeteer from the shadows. Granted, making his presence known in light of a spectacular bit of mischief was always fun. But, the less regular people saw him, the better.

Shizuo, on the other hand, was far too noticeable. Tall, blonde, and loud, Shizuo was never someone Izaya wanted along when he was trying to be stealthy. Izaya grit his teeth as the blonde bumped into another passerby, who turned and stared curiously. Shizuo gave an apologetic nod, turning to hurry after Izaya. The brunet winced and sped up his steps, trying to put as much distance as possible between them.

As much as he tried to outpace the other, Izaya's quick strides were no match for Shizuo's. As soon as the streets thinned out, Izaya was less than pleased to find a panting blonde at his side. He glanced up at the other, momentarily confused when Shizuo shot him an anxious look. _Oh… He thinks I'm angry_. Izaya forced a smile. "Don't worry, it's nothing." Shizuo looked relieved, falling into step with the other.

Izaya reluctantly allowed Shizuo to remain beside him as they traversed the last two blocks before stopping in front of a small supermarket. Izaya tapped Shizuo on the shoulder as he stepped through the sliding doors. "Stay a few feet away from me." he murmured, avoiding eye contact. Shizuo blinked, obediently wandering off.

Izaya breathed a sigh in relief, grabbing a small plastic basket from a stack. He wandered through the aisles, expertly plucking the cheapest brands off the shelves. He quickly gathered enough food for a few small meals, ticking off items on his mental list.

As he expertly compared the two remaining apples in a bin, he noticed Shizuo had wandered over to inspect some vegetables. The other was currently sticking his head under the glass roofing, studying the carrots with an amusing amount of interest. Izaya gave him a fond look until he noticed a nearby woman doing the same, slowly inching closer to the blonde. Izaya shot her a look of contempt, snorting. _Idiot. _She wouldn't be so bold if she had recognized Shizuo, Izaya was sure. He turned back to his wares, intent on ignoring her.

Izaya suddenly tensed when he heard the electronic warning sounds of a storm, signaling that the water was about to be turned on. He snuck a glance at Shizuo, who was obliviously standing under a spigot. Izaya forced his eyes back, trying to concentrate on his shopping. The blonde would learn.

Sure enough, a burst of water rained down upon Shizuo's head, causing the blond to jerk his head away and rub at his eyes furiously. Izaya stifled a laugh, until he saw the woman do the same as she approached Shizuo.

"You don't come here much, do you?" she smiled, offering a napkin she had miraculously produced from her purse. _Whore_. Shizuo blinked and tentatively took the offering, wiping his face. _Slut_. A thin trickle of water continued to run down his cheek from his sopping wet cap. The woman giggled. _Skank_.

"Here, now." she said, reaching up. "You need to take this off if you want to get dry." Izaya's head whipped around.

In one swift motion, the woman pulled the hat off Shizuo's head, letting his tousled blond hair fall free. _Son of a __**bitch**_. The woman gasped and dropped the cap, taking a step backward.

"S-Shizuo Heiwajima!" she stammered nervously. "I-I…"

The entire store seemed to freeze and turn towards them in unison. Izaya's heart sped up as their eyes swiveled to the dripping blonde, and then to him. _Time to go_.

Izaya ducked around the corner, pushing through aisles. He had to get away before his reputation was completely ruined. Shizuo, unfortunately, mistook the other's anxiety as a signal and hurried after Izaya.

Izaya slid between two shopping carts, racing for the exit. He shoved through the line, ignoring squeals of protest that were quickly muffled when he was recognized. He was 3 feet to the door when a security guard threw his arm out, knocking the wind out of Izaya.

"You didn't pay for that." He growled, prodding Izaya's basket. The other glared at him as he struggled to re-catch his breath.

"See that?" he panted, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. The guard turned his head suspiciously, and caught sight of Shizuo barreling towards him. Izaya smirked as the man swallowed nervously. "Yeah, he's going to destroy everything in this store if you don't let me out. _Now_."

"I- Well…" the guard protested. "Can't you just leave the bask-". Izaya was already out the door. The guard side-stepped nervously as Shizuo tore after him. As the two raced down the street, theft alarms ringing throughout the store, the man briefly wondered if there was any chance of saving his job.

* * *

Izaya laughed as he pulled Shizuo up his apartment stairs. He may have liked working incognito, but causing chaos with Shizuo was always fun. Izaya leaned against the other and grinned. "Not bad, Shizuo. I need to take you shopping more often." He hefted the basket he had taken, sifting through the packages. "I think I saved enough to compensate for the damage the twins did." Shizuo smiled gently, tilting his head.

Izaya began rummaging through his pocket for his keys as they stopped before his door. He reached for the handle, only to stop. His door was open. _Really, again?_ Izaya sighed. No doubt the twins were back. _Shouldn't they be at school by now?_ He nudged the door open, motioning to Shizuo to follow.

"Mairu, Kururi, get out. I don't have time for this." He warned, eyes flicking around the hallway. He cautiously peeked around the corner into the living room. He knew his sisters were not above an ambush. His gaze traveled across the dark room, landing on a form sitting on his couch. A person stood up, and Izaya instantly knew they were _not_ his sisters.

"Shit." He fumbled for the knife in his pocket, grabbing it out and holding it up to eye-level. The person tilted their head, amused. Izaya looked back at Shizuo, who was peering over his shoulder thoughtfully. Izaya shoved backwards, urging the blonde to get out. Shizuo stumbled back, confused.

"Hey, there." Izaya said sweetly, turning his attention back to the intruder. He took a step left, slowly circling the couch. "And who might you be?" The intruder snorted.

"You're an idiot."

Izaya exhaled. "Oh, it's you." He reached over and flicked on the light. "So nice of you to visit, Namie." The woman rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

"So why are you here?" Izaya asked, brushing past her to place his basket on an end-table. Namie looked away, cold disdain etched into her face.

"I needed to go over some paperwork." Her eyes flicked over to the remains of Izaya's shattered table. "Imagine my surprise when I nearly tripped over _that_."

"I'll clean it up later." Izaya dismissed with a wave of his hand. Namie looked at him with contempt. "What did that, anyway?"

"Blame _him_." Izaya shrugged, looking over at Shizuo. Name raised an eyebrow, finally noticing the blonde. "Oh?" she hummed, giving Izaya a curious look. "Why is he here?"

"My sisters dropped him off. They stole him from a hospital." Izaya said casually, turning to head into the kitchen. Namie nodded, unmoved. She walked forward, examining Shizuo who was now giving her a wary stare.

"Brain damage?" she asked, tilting her head to examine the blonde's eyes.

"Wow, you really are a doctor!" Izaya laughed from the other room.

"Actually, I'm not." Namie said coolly. "But, you aren't dead and he's not destroying things, so that's the only probable explanation."

"Well, that's what Shinra thinks anyway." Izaya conceded, re-entering the room. "He's also speculating on memory loss, but the twins took Shizuo before the tests were done."

Namie turned to look at him. "I'm curious as to how he ended up in the hospital in the first place."

"Mm… even I don't really know that." Izaya admitted, lying down on the couch. "The cops found him in an alley, rambling. Tom Tanaka called it in, but…" Izaya yawned, "They only found Shizuo when they got there. They're still looking for Tom."

"Too bad. Tanaka was a good guy." Namie said, picking up a folder.

Izaya looked at her and smirked. "_Was_? Such an optimist."

Namie gave a humorless laugh, turning back to her work. "You should take care of your 'damaged goods'. He's been standing there for 5 minutes."

Izaya looked over at Shizuo, who was glaring at Namie distrustfully. He laughed, beckoning the other over."It's alright. She may be heartless, but she won't hurt you." Namie shot him a frosty look. "She might kill me, though."

Shizuo nodded once and made his way to the couch, eyeing Namie carefully. Izaya pulled him down onto the cushions, allowing Shizuo to nestle in beside him. He absently stroked the blonde's hair as he felt the other slowly relax against him. Izaya looked over at Namie, but she was pointedly ignoring them.

"Hey, Namie." Izaya said, turning his head. "How'd you get inside, anyway? You usually have to call to be let in." Namie paused in her work.

"I did call." She said carefully, studying a page. "You didn't answer. And when I got to the door, these…" she smiled, holding up his keys, "were lying on your mat."

Izaya stared at her. "What?"

She snapped the book shut. "I thought that was unlike you," she smirked, "But now I see you have a new _toy_ to distract you."

Izaya stuck out his tongue. "We're hungry. Go make us breakfast." He ordered, burying his face in Shizuo's hair.

"I'm busy." Namie replied, replacing the book on a shelf. "Feed yourself."

Izaya lifted his head up. "I believe our deal was that you get my info if you cook. Now cook." Namie sighed, placing the stack of papers she'd accumulated onto the floor.

"You know," she said, heading for the kitchen, "It's not wise to force someone who's an expert on _lethal drugs_ to prepare your food." Izaya ignored her.

As soon as she was out of the room, Izaya reached into his pocket and checked his phone. _3 missed calls, 2 new messages. _"Damn," Izaya murmured, resting his head on Shizuo. "You're really distracting."

* * *

Namie returned a few minutes later, carrying two steaming dishes. She placed them on the floor, stepping around the shattered pieces of Izaya's table. "Here." She said stiffly, rubbing her hands on her skirt. "Now let me work."

Izaya examined the meal with a critical eye. "This toast is burned. And these eggs are runny." Namie glared at him before stomping off into the other room. "Are you sure you're a woman?" Izaya called after her. He reached down and picked up the plate, reaching behind to give one to Shizuo. "Here." He said, handing him a fork Namie had left. Shizuo sat up and took the offered items, before looking hesitantly at the food.

"She didn't poison it." Izaya assured him. _I think_. He picked his own fork and took a bite. Shizuo cautiously copied him. Izaya chuckled when the other made a contorted face. "Yeah, sorry about the taste. She's kind of a _crappy cook_." He said loudly, grinning when he heard a crash from the other room. Shizuo smiled and took another bite.

The two had nearly finished off their meal when a loud knocking interrupted them. Izaya looked at his front door and sighed. _What now?_ He placed his meal next to Shizuo, who was now licking his plate clean, and headed to the front door. He peered through the eye-hole and grimaced.

"Hey, Rider." He said, swinging open the door with a fake grin. Celty nodded at him and held up her phone.

'_I'm here to pick up Shizuo_.'

* * *

AN: I am **really really really** sorry this is so late. Sickness and work and revisions, oh my!

Sorry.


	10. Talk to Me

'_I'm here to pick up Shizuo_.'

Izaya forced a grin and stepped to the side, allowing Celty to brush past him. She stopped in the hallway, looking around.

'_I'm impressed. Your apartment's intact.' _She typed out.

"Almost." Izaya laughed, leading her into the living room. "He kind of killed my coffee-table."

'Oh?' Celty bent down, examining the mess. She shifted through the remains, holding up a shard of glass. She tilted it slightly, watching the light reflect. '_Did he do it in anger?_'

"More like a panic attack." Izaya yawned, stretching. "Woke me up in the middle of the night."

Celty ignored him, standing up to look at Shizuo who was staring at her in awe. She hesitantly extended her hand in greeting, watching for the blonde's reaction. Shizuo tensed, leaning away. Celty quickly retracted her hand, taking a cautionary step back. Izaya sighed, giving Shizuo an exasperated look.

"Calm down." Izaya said, sitting down on the couch. "She's not going to do anything." Shizuo nodded once, slightly relaxing his shoulders. He leaned against Izaya, who absently ruffled his hair as he thumbed through a stray folder. Celty watched them, dumbfounded. A fake cough interrupted her thoughts, forcing her to turn around.

Namie stood in the doorway, watching the others with mild disdain. She let her gaze rest on Celty for a bit before turning to Izaya. "I need to use your computer."

"Not now, Namie." Izaya said graciously, gesturing to Celty. "We have a guest."

"It won't take long." Namie said stiffly, refusing to look at Celty.

"The parental controls are a pain to set up." Izaya said dismissively.

"You _could_ just type in your password." Namie snapped, a light blush tingeing her cheeks. Izaya laughed and covered his face with his hand.

"What, and let you have free reign over my files? Why don't I just sign my death warrant now?" he grinned, peeking through his fingers at the irritated woman. "I'll do it later, Namie."

"But-" she protested, halting when a screen suddenly appeared in front of her face.

'_What's so important?_'

Namie glared at Celty, pushing the phone away. "None of your business." She took a step back as another message was abruptly shoved in her face.

'_I'm curious. Enlighten me._'

"I don't have time for this!" Namie snapped, turning on her heels. "I'll hack it myself!" Izaya sighed as she stormed out of the room. _As if she could_.

"Aren't I lucky, Shizuo?" he smiled, weaving his hands through the other's blond hair, "Two beautiful women are fighting over my attention." A sharp bark of laughter came from Namie's room. Izaya ignored her.

'_Anyway,_' Celty tapped out hesitantly, '_I need to get going..._'

"Ah," Izaya said simply, nodding in understanding. He tilted his head to look at the blonde, who gazed at him questioningly. "Shizuo, you need to go with Celty. Shinra's going to take good care of you." He said soothingly, gently nudging the other's head off his shoulder.

Shizuo blinked at him, brow furrowing. Izaya rolled his eyes, pushing on Shizuo to get up. "C'mon." he urged. "I can't take care of you by myself. You need to go see Shinra." Shizuo frowned, a look of intense concentration crossing his face. Izaya sighed and picked up his plate, taking a bite of his cooling meal. "I don't think he's listening."

'_If you think I'm stupid enough to try and force him to do anything, you're very wrong._' Celty typed.

Izaya huffed irritably, taking another bite. "Shizuo, will you just go?"

Shizuo gazed at Izaya numbly, who closed his eyes in irritation. _Honestly… He was listening bef-_

"Why?"

Izaya promptly sprayed eggs across the room, which Celty reflexively side-stepped. He turned to stare at Shizuo in shock, food dribbling down his chin. "What?" he said weakly.

Shizuo looked back at him, mouth opening and closing as he struggled to speak. "Why?" he said finally.

Celty thrust her phone at Izaya. '_You didn't tell me he could talk!_'

"I didn't know!" Izaya protested, standing up. Celty and Izaya fixed their gazes upon Shizuo expectantly. The blonde looked back and forth between the two, expression pained.

"Well?" Izaya said expectantly after a few moments. Shizuo looked at his feet, silent. Celty cocked her helmet, thinking.

'_Maybe that's all he can say?_' she typed.

Izaya threw his hands up and collapsed on the couch. "Fine. Shizuo, just go with her already." The blonde stood up, giving Izaya a guilty look. Celty motioned towards the door, gently leading the other down the hall. Izaya silently watched them. He suddenly stood up, knocking his plate to the ground.

"Wait." He said, turning towards the kitchen. "I'll be right back."

Celty and Shizuo stood in the hall awkwardly as the minutes ticked by. Just as Celty was beginning to get fed up, Izaya returned, holding a small bag. He thrust the package into Shizuo's arms.

'_What's that?_'

"Never mind!" Izaya smiled awkwardly, pushing them out the door. "Have fun with Celty, Shizuo!" he grinned, slamming the door behind them.

Celty reached over and peeked into the bag. She shook her helmet, silent laughter bubbling up. Shizuo stared at her and looked inside the bag, confused. Celty waved her hand dismissively, beckoning the other to follow.

_Milk bottles, huh?_

* * *

Izaya breathed a sigh of relief as slid down the closed door. _If he could talk, he should have said something earlier. What a pain… _He pushed himself off the door, noticing Namie had re-entered the room. She gave him an amused look.

"I'm surprised at you."

"Oh?" Izaya smirked, arrogant mood returning.

Namie reached down to pick up a plate. "I can't believe you let him go like that."

"Of course you can't," Izaya said, spreading out his arms grandly, "Your feeble mind cannot begin to comprehend my benevolent nature."

Namie laughed shortly, tucking the plate under her arm. "Or maybe Shizuo just gave you one."

"Hm?" Izaya said, cocking his head.

"Well, maybe my mind is just being feeble," Namie said sarcastically, "But you've been acting a little off ever since you got your little toy. But I rather like this doting side of you. It almost makes up for the rest of your personality."

"How cruel," Izaya smiled, brushing past her. "I've been tolerating him, that's all."

"Still," Namie continued, unperturbed, "I don't see why you let him go. He could have been valuable."

"Oh? How so?" Izaya smirked, plopping down in front of his computer. Namie hovered over him, temper flaring.

"Don't mock me. You had Shizuo Heiwajima in the palm of your hand, and you did _nothing_. He even seemed fond of you, God knows why. The _normal_ you would exploited that in a second." She snarled. Izaya smiled innocently up at her.

"My, my!" he laughed, "Did you have plans for Shizuo yourself?" Namie glared at him, fingers curling.

"Anyway," Izaya continued, turning away, "He's no good to me like this." Namie crossed her arms, looking down at him. "Why?"

Izaya sighed dramatically. "A broken toy is a useless toy. I'm not interested in taking care of damaged goods." He turned around to face Namie again. "If Shinra can help him, then fine. He could be useful. But not right now."

"What if Shinra completely fixes him?" Namie said quietly. "He's no good as his old self either." Izaya smiled to himself.

"Well," he grinned, "At least he'd be interesting again." He locked eyes with Namie, folding his arms.

Namie stared at him for a long time, before shrugging her shoulder and walking off.

"I thought you needed to use the computer." Izaya called after her.

"I'm fine." She said coolly, opening the front door. "I'll be back later." Izaya winced as she slammed the door behind her. He rolled his eyes and turned back to his computer.

_Women. _

_

* * *

_

AN: I know this chapter is shorter than the others, but it was a good place to stop. If I kept going, I would have ended up writing a 5,000 word chapter, and I know you don't want that. Or maybe you do.

I've also gotten a Livejournal for this piece, based on several threats from a friend towards my laptop if I didn't. Thus I am in the process of uploading chapters, and being very confused by that site. So, if for some reason you don't want to read this here, you can go on LJ. Or something.

The username is still vreee, (So just add in DOTlivejournalDOTcom after the name) and I'm still testing tags to try and make it search-able for you.


	11. Such a Waste

Shinra yawned as he padded through his hallway, stretching his arms above his head. He absently scratched his head as he entered the kitchen, smiling when he saw Celty bent over the stove. He snuck up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Good morning," he cooed, grinning as she gave him a fond whack on the head. "Are you making breakfast just for me?"

Celty picked up her phone from the counter. '_Don't be stupid. __**You**__ still have to eat through that nasty cereal you bought before you get anything from me._'

Shinra pouted, releasing his hold on her. "It tastes disgusting. Can't I just throw it out?"

'_You bought it, you eat it. Don't waste food_.'

Shinra sighed, collapsing into a chair. He put his head on the table, ignoring his growling stomach. _Even if she says that, I'm not going to eat it. _Shinra lifted his head up as Celty walked over to him, placing a steaming dish of sausage and eggs in front of him. He looked at her in adoration.

"Oh Celty, have you decided to have pity on me?" he laughed, picking up a fork. Celty swatted his hand.

'_It's not for you. Go bring it to Shizuo, he hasn't had breakfast yet_.'

Shinra almost felt his eyes well up with tears. He mournfully picked up the plate, heading towards the guestroom. _Lucky bastard_.

* * *

Shinra knocked twice on the guestroom door, balancing the plate in his hand. "Shizuo?" he called. He gently pushed open the door, noticing the blonde sitting upright in his bed. Shizuo blinked hazily, rubbing his eyes.

"Good morning, Shizuo." Shinra smiled. Shizuo nodded once. "… Morning."

"Oh, good. Your verbal skills seem to be functioning well today." Shinra laughed, placing the dish on Shizuo's nightstand. "Celty made this for you, so be sure to say thank you when you see her."

"Thank you." Shizuo mimicked, picking up the plate.

"Good." Shinra said, reaching for a notebook on the stand. He flipped through the pages, grabbing a pen out of his pocket.

"Let's see," Shinra murmured, marking a page. "This makes your 7th day here, Shizuo. I think you've been improving rapidly for only a week." Shizuo shrugged, keeping his eyes downcast.

"So," Shinra said, turning to Shizuo. "How do you feel today?"

Shizuo nudged a sausage around his plate as he contemplated. "Fine." he said after a moment.

Shinra scribbled a note, pleased. "Is there anything you want to do today, Shizuo?"

Shizuo crossed his arms, struggling to think. Shinra returned to his notes, waiting patiently.

"Izaya…"

Shinra doubled over, coughing violently. He looked up at Shizuo, dumbfounded. "What?"

"Izaya," Shizuo urged again. "See…"

"Oh," Shinra breathed in understanding, "You want to see him today? Um… I don't know…"

Shizuo shook his head, irritated. He picked up a sausage in his hand and took a bite, brow furrowed in concentration.

"Hey, stop that." Shinra scolded, placing his notebook beside him. "Use a fork for eat-" Shinra glanced around before realization struck him.

"Oh," he laughed, standing up. "I forgot to bring you one. Be right back." Shizuo watched silently as Shinra left, replacing the dish on the nightstand. He listened as the door shut with a click, before looking down to the floor. He smiled as a head popped out from under his bed and grinned up at him.

* * *

'_How is he?_' Celty typed, sitting down at the table.

"Good," Shinra replied, rummaging through the silverware drawer. "His motor skills are functioning at an increased capacity. He responds to verbal stimuli and-"

'_Speak normally, please_.' Celty sighed.

Shinra laughed as he shut the drawer. "He's talking well, and can answer questions."

'_That's a relief._' Celty typed, leaning back in her chair. '_Anything else?_'

Shinra frowned, absently rubbing the fork in his hand. "He mentioned wanting to see Izaya today, I think."

'_Izaya?_' Celty tapped out, startled. '_That's strange._'

"I suppose," Shinra nodded, folding his arms. "Rather, it's disheartening."

'_Oh?_'

"Well," Shinra hummed, "The most likely explanation is that while Shizuo may be able to speak a bit now, his memory is indeed damaged. I don't think he's calling Izaya out for a fight, like he should."

Celty rolled her shoulders, thinking. She paused and typed out a new message.

'_I almost forgot. Go get a milk bottle for Shizuo_.'

"Milk bottles?" Shinra asked, pulling open the fridge. "When did we get those?"

'_Izaya gave them to me_.'

"Why?" Shinra asked, pulling one out.

'_Thanks for taking Shizuo out of his hair, I guess_.'

"Hm," Shinra murmured, shutting the refrigerator door. He pried off the cap and sniffed it. "I don't suppose it's poisoned?"

'_I already checked. It seems safe._'

Shinra shrugged, heading back down the hallway. "Alright, then. If you say so."

Celty glanced over to the bottles. '_They should be okay... I hope._'

* * *

Shinra paused in front of the guestroom door, raising his hand to politely knock again. Suddenly, he heard a faint laugh emit from the other side of the door. _What? That doesn't sound like Shizuo._ He pressed his ear to the wood, listening intently. He could swear he had heard a voice, but the room was now eerily quiet. Annoyed, he swung open the door and glared inside.

Shizuo looked up from his bed, surprised. Shinra looked around the room suspiciously, but it seemed devoid of any other occupants. He slowly stepped inside, eyes wandering around. He placed the fork and bottle on Shizuo's stand, looking up at the blonde.

"Shizuo," he said sternly, "Is there someone else in this room?"

Shizuo gave him an innocent look, but didn't answer. Shinra gave the blonde a long hard look. Shizuo's eyes momentarily flicked to the closet before returning to Shinra. The other frowned and followed his gaze. It was open a crack.

Shinra crept up to the closet and placed his hand on the door. He could feel Shizuo watching him with wide eyes, but when looked back, the blonde was staring determinedly at the ceiling. Irritated, Shinra grabbed the door and forcefully slid it open. He tensed, eyes flicking through the dark space. He absently pushed through the hanging clothes, but the closet seemed devoid of anyone. Sighing, he turned around and folded his arms.

"Don't tease me like that, Shizuo," he complained, "You gave me a scare." Shizuo looked at Shinra, lips twitching into something that could have been a smile. Shinra blinked, staring hard. _Why is he looking past m-_

Shinra screamed as a black blur threw itself at him from behind, fastening its arms around his neck.

"Don't move," a voice hissed in his ear. Shinra felt his breathe leave him. _That voice_…

"God… dammit…" Shinra panted, struggling against the hold, "Get off me, Izaya!"The assailant laughed and released him.

"You're no fun," Izaya giggled, clasping his hands behind his back, "You also suck at checking closets."

"Please… stop sneaking into rooms…" Shinra whined, clutching at his chest. "Why… _How_ are you here?"

Izaya held up a pair of keys and twirled them. "I unlocked the door, of course."

Shinra stared at him "What..?"

"It's not like copying a key is all that hard," Izaya shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. Shinra rubbed his face in exasperation.

"And you're fine with him being here?" Shinra asked, turning his attention to Shizuo.

"Fine," Shizuo smiled. "Don't… mind."

Izaya flopped down on the edge of the bed. "See? You get worked up too much, Shinra."

Shinra crossed his arms. "Then, _why_ are you here?" he asked, thin amusement in his voice.

"Paying a visit to an old friend," Izaya smirked.

"Ah, of course," Shinra said, closing his eyes.

"Well, to tell the truth," Izaya said, tilting his head at the ceiling, "Mr. Vegetable called me here."

"I don't think that name's appropriate anymore," Shinra hummed, "And I don't think he did that, either."

"It's not like I'd come here unless I thought he was actually entertaining, anyway. Go ask Celty about it," Izaya shrugged, falling back on the bed. "I assume she dialed." He rolled over to Shizuo and ruffled his hair.

"I would, but I'm not sure I trust you in here," Shinra said lightly, shutting the closet door.

"I've been in here for 20 minutes, but I'll humor you," Izaya said, sitting up. "I'll go get her then." Shinra sighed, trying to retrieve his good mood.

"Please don't wander around my house, either."

"Well, then I have no choice." Izaya said briskly, inhaling sharply. Izaya suddenly lurched forward and screamed at the top of his lungs, forcing Shinra to clap his hands over his ears and Shizuo to wince. Izaya continued for a few moments until the door swung open sharply. Izaya promptly shut his mouth and waved to a disgruntled Celty.

"Good morning," he cooed.

Shinra rubbed his ears as Celty flicked her phone up. '_**What**__ were you doing, and why are you here?_'

"I was summoning you via mystical chanting." Izaya said simply, stretching. "Shinra doesn't believe that Shizuo called me on the phone. He used yours, right?"

Shinra looked at her. "Did he?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Celty scratched her helmet guiltily. '_… He asked to use my phone this morning, before you got up. I didn't check who he called though. _'

Shinra tilted his head. "Izaya's number is in your directory, right?" Celty nodded.

"Hm," Shinra said, picking his notebook up and scribbling furiously. "Reading skills apparent, then… Basic technological knowledge…"

Izaya rolled his eyes, leaning back against Shizuo's knee. "My innocence has been proven. You can go now."

"Huh?" Shinra asked, looking up.

"Shoo. Shizuo asked to spend time with me, not you," Izaya sniffed, waving his hand.

"Why do I have to leave my own hou- Hey, Celty!" Shinra protested as the other dragged him out of the room. "Let go!" Celty waved to Izaya as she firmly shut the door.

"Why did you do that?" Shinra whined, looking back anxiously.

'_Leave them alone. He's probably just embarrassed_.'

"I doubt that's it…" Shinra grumbled, following her into the kitchen. "More like he'll poison him."

'_He didn't do that with the milk, so I doubt he'll do it now_,' Celty typed, pulling open the cabinet.

"Hm," Shinra murmured, unconvinced. He crossed his arms, thinking. "By the way, Kasuka's sending someone over today."

'_Kasuka? Is he back_?' Celty asked, pulling out a cereal box.

Shinra shook his head. "No, still out of the country. He couldn't cancel his filming, so he e-mailed me saying he was sending an associate to check on Shizuo."

'_That's too bad. Shizuo'd probably be happier with his brother_.' Celty replied, grabbing a bowl out of the sink.

Shinra sighed as he sat down at the table. "Yes, but you've seen how companies can be. They won't let him leave unless there's been a death in the family. Even then it's iffy."

Celty nodded as she walked over to the table. Shinra eyed her suspiciously. "What?" She plunked a bowl of cereal in front of him.

'_Eat it_.'

"I will buy a new box, I am not eating it, it is disgusting." Shinra said stiffly.

Celty sighed and sat down in front of him. '_Please? For me?_'

"Celty," Shinra said seriously, reaching across to grab her hands, "I love you, my darling. You mean the world to me. But I will not eat that cereal."

Celty swatted his hands. '_Idiot._'

Shinra laughed and leaned over to kiss her helmet. A slight knocking interrupted him.

'_Who's that?_'

"I'm not sure," Shinra confessed, pushing himself up from the table. "Mail?"

'_Too early_.'

"Hm," Shinra murmured, looking through the peephole at the stranger, "I don't recognize him. A client?" He pulled open the door cautiously.

"May I help you?" Shinra asked. The man gave a curt bow.

"Greetings Dr. Kishitani. I've been sent by my employer, Mr. Kasuka Heiwajima, to check on his brother's condition."

* * *

AN: I've been getting bad about updating, haven't I? I'm sorry. My dog died. No, seriously. (RIP Chance)

You're not going to like Kasuka's assistant, I bet. Maybe you will! But I don't think so.


	12. Fuck the Law

"Ah, of course," Shinra said, pulling the door open. "Come in."

"Thank you," the man said curtly, stepping inside. "I apologize for the short notice on my arrival."

"No trouble," Shinra shrugged, shutting the door. "I imagine Kasuka must have been worried to send someone so soon."

"Mr. Heiwajima is concerned over his brother, yes. Is he here now?"

"Shizuo? He's resting in the other room, Mr…?" Shinra asked cautiously.

The man eyed Shinra for a moment, distrust flickering in his eyes. "Yamada," He said finally.

"Ah, alright," Shinra said uncomfortably, crossing his arms. He flinched briefly when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Oh, Celty," he breathed gratefully, looking over his shoulder. "Celty, this is Mis-"

"Shinji , please," The man smiled graciously, bending down to kiss her hand. "Enchanted. Miss Sturluson, I presume? My employer has told me much about you."

Celty looked visibly flustered, nervously retracting her hand. Shinra's grip on his arms tightened.

"Mr. Yamada, I was under the impression you came to see Shizuo?" Shinra asked coolly.

"Of course," Yamada replied, straightening up. "I was under the impression you were going to show him to me."

Celty stepped in front of a snarling Shinra. '_Please wait a moment, Mr. Yamada. I'll go tell Shizuo you're coming._' She tapped out nervously.

"Oh?" Yamada said, turning his head towards Shinra. "Is his mental state still unclear?"

"Oh, no, it's quite clear," Shinra smiled forcefully, watching Celty hurry down the hall. "If someone enters too quickly, especially if it is someone he is not familiar with, he'll send you flying across the room."

"I assume you are speaking from experience?" Yamada said evenly, folding his arms behind his back.

"Would you like to find out?" Shinra asked sweetly.

"No, thank you." Yamada said curtly, cricking his neck. "I'm sure Ms. Sturluson will take care of it."

Shinra smiled venomously. "Of course. My little housewife is very talented."

"Your _housewife_?" Yamada asked, raising his eyebrow. "According to my employer and government records, both you and Ms. Sturluson are unwed."

"Yes, well, It's not official yet." Shinra snapped.

"You are engaged then?" Yamada asked lightly.

"Not… as such, no." Shinra gritted out.

"Ah," Yamada said, amusement in his voice. "I see. You've been living together for quite some time. Perhaps the lady is hesitant?"

"Listen, yo-"

Shinra was cut off mid-snarl as a loud crash came from down the hall. "What?"

Yamada was already gone. "Ms. Sturluson!"

Shinra shoved past him, wincing as he ducked. "Celty! Celty, are you alright?"

He rounded the corner, abruptly stopping before the door. "Celty! Celty, open the door!"

The door swung open with a ferocious kick, which Shinra narrowly avoided. Celty stood there, shivering with rage.

"Celty? Celty, what's wrong?" Shinra asked, grabbing her shoulders and inspecting her. "What was that crash? Are you hurt?"

"Ms. Sturluson." Yamada's voice was calm and clipped. "Where is Shizuo Heiwajima?"

Shinra blinked and looked over Celty. His eyes flicked over the empty bed and fluttering drapes. A shattered vase was lying on its side. "Celty, wha-"

'_Sorry about the mess_,' Celty typed shakily. '_Shizuo's gone_.'

"I can see that," Shinra said gently, brushing past her, "But how did he get out?"

Celty jerked her thumb at a newly opened window. Shinra crossed the room and leaned over the side. He squinted, noticing fresh cracks on the side of the building that looked suspiciously like handprints.

"He scaled down the wall?" Shinra asked incredulously, "But why would he do that?"

'_I'm going to guess __**someone**__ put it in his head_.'

Shinra stilled and groaned. "Crap…" he muttered, collapsing on the windowsill. "I forgot…"

"Dr. Kishitani, where is Shizuo?" Yamada said tersely, stepping into the room. "Why is he not in this room?"

"He's gone," Shinra stated simply, pushing himself up.

"Gone?" Yamada said, crossing his arms irritably, "What do you mean, gone?"

"Not here," Shinra said, spreading his arms out graciously, "Seems he was kidnapped by one of our _friends_."

'_If that_.' Celty added. Shinra nodded absently.

"Then ask them to bring him back." Yamada snapped, reaching for his phone.

"Won't do any good," Shinra mused, sticking his hands in his coat pockets. "You're well informed, Mr. Yamada, so I assume you already know about Izaya Orihara."

Yamada stiffened. "I do," he said evenly, uncrossing his arms. "So he came here and kidnapped Shizuo?"

"Well, yes and no… probably." Shinra said thoughtfully, sitting down on the bed. "I'm not sure."

'_What Shinra means_,' Celty typed hastily, '_is that Izaya was here earlier, visiting. He must have run off while we were in the kitchen._'

"Orihara was here?" Yamada asked quietly, "I was informed that he and Shizuo were on quite bad terms."

"They are," Shinra said, picking up his notebook. "Or were. Izaya's been around since Shizuo's accident."

"So, Orihara and Shizuo have been enemies for a long time, correct?"

"Mhm," Shinra hummed, flipping through pages.

"They've caused a lot of damage to this town in their battles with each other, correct?"

"We pay a lot of repair taxes," Shinra nodded, picking up a pen.

"But after Shizuo has an accident that damages his mental awareness, you let Orihara in to see him. Unsupervised."

'_It's my fault_,' Celty tapped nervously, stepping up to Yamada. '_I thought he would be alright; I told Shinra to leave them alone_.'

Yamada's frown softened. "It's quite alright, Ms. Sturluson," he said kindly, "It's not your fault Orihara acted outside your expectations." Shinra snorted as he scribbled his notes.

"Anyway," Yamada said, looking out the window, "Do you have any idea where Orihara could have taken him? Should we call the police?"

"The police have tried to get Izaya for years," Shinra said, flipping the notebook shut, "They've given up on him. And as for where he is, I haven't the slightest."

"Somewhere secluded? Maybe back to his own house?" Yamada suggested.

"No," Shinra sighed, leaning backwards. "That's not his style."

"What do you mean?" Yamada asked, irritation creeping back into his voice.

"Well," Shinra said, sitting up, "He's taken Shizuo from his sickbed to follow him wherever he pleases. If I know Izaya, he's going to need to flaunt that now."

* * *

Izaya cackled and he swerved down the street, dodging honking cars and startled pedestrians.

"Sharp left!" he called over his shoulder, gripping the handles of the motorcycle. He threw his weight to the side and turned, narrowly missing a screeching truck. He grinned as he sped through the intersection, ignoring the bright red lights overhead.

He gave a small wince as he felt the vice around his chest tighten as he made another sharp turn. He gave a quick glance back at the head burrowed into his shoulder.

"Shizuo, I know I said hold on tight, but you're cutting off my air," Izaya teased, straining his voice to be heard over the engine and screaming cars. He wriggled slightly to loosen the other's grip. "C'mon, let go a little!"

"No! At least… you have a helmet!" Shizuo shouted back, briefly lifting his head from its hiding spot.

"It's not my fault you're head was too big for the other one!" Izaya yelled back, wincing as it reverberated in his ears. He cut across another lane, fully enjoying every flinch and start Shizuo gave at acceleration.

That is, he was, until he heard an all too-familiar siren speeding their way.

"Ah, shit," Izaya grimaced, glancing back. He had to get out of here, before they caught up to him. The traffic cops, unlike the regular useless squads, were not to be messed with.

"Alright, you should probably hang on now, Shizuo," Izaya called back, gripping the handlebars in anticipation.

"What are you doing?" Shizuo yelled nervously, looking over his shoulder.

Izaya grinned wickedly. "Trying to outrun the police."

Shizuo groaned and buried his face again. "…Why?" he moaned.

"Fuck the law," Izaya said grandly, shooting forward with a sickening lurch.

Izaya made a sharp turn across 3 lanes, cutting onto the on-ramp at the last second. He held his breath, listening. He rolled his eyes as the sirens blaring managed to follow him, along with the honking of cars he's passed long ago. _So the traffic rules apply to everyone but them, then._

Izaya grinned as he saw the dividers narrow out on the side lanes, ignoring the ever-closer blaring of horns. His eyes flicked back, then forwards, determination setting in.

Shizuo looked up nervously. "Closer…"

"I know," Izaya said dismissively. "But I need to wait."

"What?"

"I need to wait…" Izaya said through a gritted smirk, "Not yet."

Shizuo tensed, and gripped Izaya harder than should have been possible. The sirens were only 3 cars behind them now. Izaya crouched low, eyes trained on the road. "Tell me if it's a car or motorcycle."

Shizuo looked behind, squinting past the sun glare. A red car swerved out of the way, giving Shizuo a clear view.

"Car!" he said urgently, tugging on Izaya's jacket. The other grinned.

"Don't let go!" he laughed, jerking to the side. Shizuo's eyes diluted as Izaya swerved off the side off the road into nothingness.

Shizuo squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for impact. He abruptly shot up as the bike made contact with a very bumpy hill. He felt his scream slam back into his throat as Izaya struggled to keep the bike steady, roughly skidding down the dirt slope.

"Jump!" Izaya choked out, releasing the bars. Shizuo grabbed Izaya and threw himself off. They slid down the hill for a few feet while the bike spun out of control. When they finally rolled to a stop, Shizuo looked over, watching as the bike flipped over a rock, crumpled in on itself, and promptly burst into flames.

Izaya stared at it blankly from his spot draped across Shizuo's chest. Finally, he began coughing, then laughing, then downright cackling. Shizuo pushed himself up as Izaya tumbled off him, still grinning like a maniac.

"Aren't you… upset?" Shizuo asked finally when Izaya's giggles had resided a bit.

"W-what?" Izaya sniggered, sitting up. "No, we're exactly w-where I wanted. See?" He pointed upwards at the ramp. "A police car can't follow us down here. And," he added, looking across the street, "My favorite café is right over there. Want to go grab lunch?"

"What…? No, I mean…" Shizuo fumbled for the words. "Upset… over the bike?"

"What, that?" Izaya said dismissively, looking over at the still-smoldering heap. "Well, yeah, I would be if it was mine." He causally stood and offered a hand to Shizuo. "C'mon, let's go eat. High-speed chases make me hungry."

Shizuo, still buzzing from adrenaline and sheer terror, numbly stood up and followed him.

* * *

AN: Thank you Chibi Flynn, for reminding me I seriously needed to finish this chapter and stop being a bad person.

NEXT WEEK

THURSDAY

I SWEAR TO GOD

aaa ;n;


	13. You Sicken Me

"Ah," Izaya sighed, kicking open his doorway. "Man, I'm full."

Izaya shed his coat as Shizuo shifted uncomfortably, hesitating in the hallway. Izaya rolled his eyes and waved him inside, firmly shutting the door. He all but dragged the other into the living room, before flouncing over to the couch, flopping down with a content sigh. He eyed Shizuo, who was glancing back and forth nervously.

"Whaaaaaat?" Izaya drawled, stretching lazily. "Namie's not here right now."

Shizuo relaxed visibly, breathing a sigh of relief. Izaya laughed, beckoning the other over. "Where?" Shizuo asked, leaning over to join Izaya on the couch.

"Dunno," Izaya shrugged, scooting over to allow Shizuo room. "I'm not her keeper. She just works for me, in the loosest sense of the term."

"Oh," Shizuo said shortly. "She's not… nice."

Izaya snorted, draping himself over Shizuo's lap. "Hell no. I don't think she's _ever_ gotten laid. Little bro's not interested."

Shizuo stared down at him. "Don't ask." Izaya said, closing his eyes.

Shizuo fell quiet, listening to the hum of the busy traffic crowding the streets below. Evening sunbeams filtered in through the blinds, casting slanted shadows over the two. Izaya groaned at the intrusion of light, burying his face into the other's leg. Shizuo blinked lazily, enjoying the dull warmth of the sun pervading his body. He shut his eyes and tilted his head back onto the couch. _This is nice… But…_

Shizuo hesitated a moment, before gently placing his hand on Izaya's head. "Izaya?"

"Mmmrph."

Shizuo gave his head a small nudge. "Izaya?" He tried again.

"Absent."

"…No, you're not."

Izaya snorted, flopping an arm over his forehead. "Whatcha want?"

"Why are we here?"

Izaya grinned, cracking open an eyelid. "Is that a universal question, or do you just mean in my apartment?"

"Apartment." Shizuo said firmly.

Izaya sighed, and draped his other arm over his eyes. "Because I am full, fat, and I seriously need a nap. Now shush, Mr. Pillow."

"No," Shizuo persisted, sitting up straight now. "I mean why did you bring me here?"

Izaya smirked. "That was a pretty long sentence. I'm proud of you."

Shizuo sighed irritably, shifting to move off the couch. Izaya whined, tugging on his leg.

"Okay, okay," he groaned, pulling the other back down. "Calm down. Geez."

Shizuo repositioned himself on the couch, allowing Izaya to lie across him again. He looked at the other expectantly.

Izaya yawned, stretching and arching his back. "Well," he hummed, reaching up to prod Shizuo in the face, "I took you to lunch today because I have a proposition for you."

"Huh?"

"That's what you do in a business," Izaya said causally, flicking the bridge of Shizuo's nose, "If you want to hire someone, you interview them or you take them out to a nice lunch."

"Hire? Hire… me?" Shizuo asked incredulously, catching Izaya's fingers in his own. "Why?"

"Well, as I'm sure you don't remember," Izaya grinned, "I run an information service."

"So?" Shizuo asked, pulling Izaya up into a sitting position.

"So," Izaya said, poking him in the chest. "I've been meaning to hire some muscle as protection. Since you're jobless, I thought I'd take pity on you."

"Protection?" Shizuo said slowly, slowly putting Izaya's meaning together. "A… bodyguard?"

"Pretty much," Izaya shrugged, rolling his neck. "Or extortion, or whatever else I need from you."

"What… did I used to work as?" Shizuo said, shutting his eyes in concentration.

"The same thing I'm hiring you for," Izaya hummed, folding his arms. "But your last employer seems to have skipped town."

"Shinra said… he disappeared," Shizuo frowned.

"True," Izaya admitted, leaning forward. "But it amounts to the same thing."

"I guess," Shizuo conceded, blinking as Izaya brushed hair out of his eyes. "But shouldn't you be hiring… someone else?"

"Yes," Izaya said frankly, "But this will be much more interesting." Shizuo frowned and swatted Izaya's hand away.

Izaya laughed and stood up. "I'm going to go make some coffee if you're going to keep me up like this. You want any?"

Shizuo shook his head, following Izaya into the kitchen. "What should I be… doing for this job?"

"Well, like I said, I need you for muscle," Izaya answered, rummaging through the cupboards. "But I don't have anything specific in mind yet. Your hours can be flex-time, and your base pay can be the same as before."

Shizuo blinked, watching absently as Izaya began heating up the water. "Before? …I worked for you?"

Izaya gave a short laugh, bending down to open the fridge. "No way. I meant what Tom paid you."

Shizuo rubbed his temples, suddenly feeling a sharp ache coming on. "I see," he said weakly. Izaya looked up at him, noticing his discomfort. "You okay?"

Shizuo shook his head stiffly, leaning back against the wall. He squeezed his eyes shut, wincing as he felt his stomach lurch. He let himself slide down the wall, resting his head between his knees. _The hell…?_

He started as he felt something cold press on the back on his neck, looking up to see a milk bottle dangled before him.

"Here," Izaya said, thrusting the drink at Shizuo. "Drink." Shizuo numbly accepted it, unscrewing the top with trembling hands and pausing to sniff its contents.

"It's fresh," Izaya said, slightly miffed.

Shizuo nodded once, lifting the bottle to his lips. He emptied it in three large gulps, flinching as his stomach gave another sharp lurch.

"Hey, hey," Izaya said irritably, bending down to grab the bottle from his hands. "Don't get sick here. I'm not cleaning it up." He tugged on the Shizuo's arm, pulling the other to his feet.

Shizuo allowed himself to be dragged into the other room, stumbling as he felt himself being pushed over. He made a muffled groan as he hit the couch face-first, fighting off another wave of nausea. Izaya rolled his eyes, bending down over the other.

"C'mon, roll over," he said, pulling on Shizuo's side. Shizuo made a weak noise of acknowledgement, flipping over and crossing his arms over his stomach. Izaya reached down and pressed a cool hand against Shizuo's forehead.

"You're burning up," Izaya hummed, raising an eyebrow. Shizuo sneezed in response.

"I can tell you'll be useful," Izaya sighed, standing up. "Wait here." Shizuo watched blearily as Izaya left, turning over back onto his side. He exhaled wearily, wincing as his head throbbed again. He burrowed into the couch, trying to fight off the shivers wracking his body.

"Here," a voice said above him. Shizuo looked up to see Izaya back at his side, arms filled with a stack of items.

"Catch," Izaya said, unceremoniously dropping a blanket on top of him. Shizuo numbly grabbed for it, pulling it around his shoulders as he huddled into the couch.

"If you're gonna get sick, do it in here," Izaya sighed, placing a bucket on the floor. "Try not to miss." Shizuo nodded numbly, trying to push the image from his mind.

"I'm going to go work now. Go hibernate till you're better or something," Izaya said dismissively, turning to grab his coat from the floor. "I'll be back in a few hours." Shizuo licked his dry lips, looking over at Izaya's retreating back.

"Thank… you."

Izaya froze mid-step. He listened quietly as Shizuo turned over and coughed. "Just… go to sleep," he said finally, shutting the door behind him.

Izaya thought silently to himself as he headed for the stairs. He glanced up at a flickering light, watching as a moth flitted in and out of view, bashing its head against the white-hot glow of the bulb. Izaya watched as it fell to the ground in a daze, blinded by the source of its infatuation. Its wings fluttered helplessly as it tried to pick itself up off the ground. It looked up helplessly as a shadow suddenly covered it, and the wings ceased their movements.

Izaya scraped his shoe on the side of the wall, smirking faintly as a small brown smear that followed. He turned and began hopping down the stairs two at a time, humming to himself.

"Really, Shizuo," he sighed, watching as the night air clouded his breath. "You are such an idiot."

* * *

_It's hot… _

_It's too hot in here… _

_**Oh, look at this.**_

_Really warm… _

_**Shut him up!**_

_Burning…_

_**Now his arm. **_

_Let me out…_

_

* * *

_

Shizuo jerked into consciousness, body shooting forward suddenly. He panted for a few moments, eyes blurring as he tried to focus in the dim light of the lamp. His mouth gave a warning belch, nausea suddenly spiking in his stomach. He groped wildly for the bucket and grabbed it with a few seconds to spare. He leaned over and emptied his stomach, gagging at the burning feeling clawing at his throat. Shizuo rubbed at the loose bits of saliva hanging off his lips, fighting off the feeling of a second wave. He lost, and was instantly back over the bucket.

Shizuo groaned in relief as the pain finally began to abet, placing the bucket on the far side of the couch. He swayed uneasily back and forth as he struggled to keep upright, slowly swishing his tongue around to rid his mouth of the taste of bile. _Water… water would help._

Shizuo put one trembling foot out and gently pushed himself up. He took one step, and then another, stumbling his way towards the kitchen. He smacked into the sides of the walls, the low light of the lamp doing little to aid his blurred sight. He slowly wobbled into the kitchen, fumbling for a light switch he never found.

Giving up, he wearily pulled open the cabinets, desperately fumbling for a glass. He grabbed one blindly, dragging it under the sink and pulling up the handle. He watched as clear water bubbled into his glass, briefly enjoying the calming noise of the running water. He lifted the glass to his lips, gulped and spat, trying to rid his mouth of its acrid taste.

After a few more spits, he tried swallowing. It was unpleasant, and made him feel slightly sick, so he gave up and placed the glass back in the sink.

Shizuo rubbed his head, the pain having decided not to recede. He slowly sank to the floor, lying down across the tile. The cool sensation felt nice against his burning skin, and he shut in eyes in appreciation. He lay there for a few minutes, sleep tugging at his consciousness. _Ah… I should... go back though_. Shizuo turned his head to look at the dim outline of the couch. He felt his eyes flutter shut, the cool air soothing him to sleep. _Maybe… maybe just a few more minutes_.

* * *

"I'm back," Izaya called, slamming the door behind him. He threw his coat in the corner, rubbing his hands together. "Shizuo, it's freezing outside, gimme the blanket," he whined, blowing on his hands as he entered the living room. "You better not be asleep ag-" Izaya stopped short as his eyes fell on the empty couch.

"Hey, hey," he called, picking up the discarded blanket. "If you moved into my room, I'll seriously kick your ass." He wrapped the sheet around himself, burying his nose in the fleece.

"Well, this is my blanket now," he announced loudly, "And you can't have it. Ever." He kicked open the door to his room, peering inside to find it devoid of Shizuo. Frustrated by the silence, his voice grew louder and louder.

"Even if you were freezing to death, I still wouldn't give you this blanket," he continued grandly, stomping back into the living room. "Because it is warm and fuzzy and-"

"Not that this isn't funny," a voice said suddenly, "But you're starting to annoy me."

Izaya's head whipped towards the kitchen, eyes narrowing. He peeked around the corner and grimaced.

"Oh. It's _you_."

Namie looked back up at him as she stroked Shizuo's hair.

"Yep," she said quietly, "It's just me."

* * *

AN: RIP little moth

You were always my favorite.


	14. Make Up Your Mind

_Ah... _

_It's cold... _

_But... what am I laying on?..._

Shizuo gave a small start as he felt the creak of muscles of a person shifting beneath him. He forced his eyelids apart, feeling a dull prick of panic as the world swam before him. He tried to lift his head, wincing as he felt a sharp throb echo through his temple. A soothing hand touched his forehead, gently brushing the hair away from his face. Shizuo exhaled gratefully, a shiver wracking his body. The hand dipped down to gently place his head back on their leg. Shizuo closed his eyes again, breathing deeply as he felt slender fingers trace circles around his ear. He made a small noise of contentment, allowing himself being lulled back to sleep.

Then he noticed the sound.

It had been a small hum at first, something he hadn't even registered in the background of his mind. Slowly, it started to escalate, a flat tone beginning to ring through his head. He flinched as it pressed against his eardrums, inflaming them with its incessant whine. He noticed that small vibrations were traveling through the hand stroking him, and dimly realized the person must be speaking.

He heard a second, slightly deeper tone ring from his right, and curiosity pulled him back to consciousness. He forcibly turned his head, squinting through his blurred vision. Two black shoes suddenly entered his line of sight, corners of a blanket trailing behind them. The hand on his head stilled.

Shizuo exhaled slowly, trying to concentrate. The tones seemed to creep out from all corners of the room, slithering across the tile to nestle in his brain. The deepest voice became louder, hissing angrily into his ear. The one above him responded lightly, so soft he could barely call it a whisper.

Shizuo flinched as he felt slim fingers travel down to grip his sleeve. He felt the cloth being pulled up, exposing his arm to the cool air. He closed his eyes, whimpering pathetically. A thumb pressed down, drawing a small circle around his wrist, measuring. A small pop echoed from above him and Shizuo felt a needle-thin point of pressure, slowly slipping through his skin. The voices shattered.

Liquid fire suddenly coursed through Shizuo's arm, burning in his veins. He shot up straight, lashing out his arm to grab at his assailant's shirt. He gripped and _threw _with all his might, hearing the resounding crack of their body against the wall.

Shizuo struggled to his knees, feeling his hands scramble on the tile floor. He gave a dry heave, flinching as his vision flashed white. Two hands descended to grip his shoulders, trying to pull him back down. Shizuo shuddered, trying to shift away.

He slipped, and felt consciousness leave him in a burst of pain.

* * *

_**You really think so?**_

_**I'm pretty sure. **_

_**It's working as intended, at least. **_

_**Are they here yet?**_

_**No, a tie-up at work. It'll be awhile.**_

_**I'm not a goddamn babysitter. **_

_**Whatever. At least he's quiet. **_

_**Oh, look. **_

_**Have you been awake this whole time?**_

_**Sturdier than I thought. Man, this guy's a monster. **_

_**Oho, he didn't like that. **_

_**Maybe…**_

_**

* * *

**_

Shizuo woke with a start, forehead drenched in sweat. He blinked, panting as he flexed his fingers experimentally. _What… what happened?_ He groaned softly as his temple throbbed, and turned to bury his face back in his pillow.

_Thump thump… _

_Thump thump… _

Shizuo frowned as a dull, steady rhythm worked its way into his mind. He clenched his hands in the fabric, willing the sound away.

"Hey, hey. I know you're awake now. Get off."

Shizuo gave a start and tilted his head up. He blinked as his eyes met with Izaya's chin. Shizuo looked down and realized he had been burrowing his head into Izaya's chest. He was currently sprawled haphazardly over the other's body, pinning him with his weight. Izaya was looking none too pleased.

"C'mon," he whined, wiggling helplessly. "You've been crushing me all night."

Shizuo pushed himself off the other apologetically, who sat straight up and rubbed his chest.

"Geez, I never knew you clung so much in your sleep," Izaya complained, rolling his shoulders. "How old are you anyway?"

Shizuo sat up and looked around the room. It was small, relatively tiny, and bare of any adornments save for a small nightstand and three doors. He looked down at himself and realized he had been sleeping on a large bed, and was partially tangled its sheets.

"Where are we?" he croaked hoarsely, wincing at his chapped lips.

"Hm?" Izaya said, rubbing his neck, "Oh. This is my room."

"Ah," Shizuo said hesitantly, glancing around.

Izaya looked over at him and frowned. "Do you remember what happened last night?"

Shizuo shook his head.

"A little… I think," he said slowly, thinking back. "I was sick?"

Izaya grimaced. "Oh yeah. I had to wash that bucket out five times."

"And," Shizuo continued, staring down at his hands, "You left for a bit. Then… someone else came…" The pregnant pause forced Shizuo to look over at Izaya, who was staring at the ceiling. "There was someone else, right?"

"Yes..." Izaya said finally, crossing his arms. "Namie stopped by."

"Then… she injected me with something… and I blacked out," Shizuo finished. "Did all that happen?"

Izaya sighed and pushed himself off the bed. "You're pretty observant for someone who was hallucinating his ass off."

"What happened?" Shizuo asked, "Why did she do that?"

"Namie likes to play doctor," Izaya answered shortly, pulling open a closet door. "I assume she stopped by for research, but then she saw poor little you and decided to figure out what was wrong."

Shizuo looked over expectantly. "So what was it?"

Izaya paused and rolled his eyes up in thought.

"Men-ome-trorr-hagia," he recited.

"What?" Shizuo said incredulously.

"I'm not sure," Izaya shrugged, pulling off his shirt, "She said it's stress-induced. Messes with your brain."

"Oh," Shizuo said numbly, "Is that why… I'm like this right now?"

"According to her," Izaya said irritably, flopping down on the bed. "She gave me a carton of shots to give you to deal with it."

"I don't want any," Shizuo said quietly.

"It hurt, huh?" Izaya chuckled, "You hit her hard after she injected you. It was kind of worth it to see her hobble out of here."

"But," he added, inspecting his nails, "I do think you need them, Shizuo."

"Will it help?" Shizuo asked distrustfully.

"I think it already has," Izaya said, poking him in the stomach. "Haven't you noticed? Your speech is a lot smoother today."

"Yeah," Shizuo said in realization, "You're right."

"Also, I was a little bit stupid," Izaya said, reaching over the bed, "Catch."

Shizuo flinched as Izaya tossed a small packet at his face. He grabbed it a few inched from his nose and brought it down for inspection.

"Cigarettes?"

"Yeah," Izaya said, stretching, "It sort of slipped my mind that you have a nicotine addiction. That's probably why you felt crappier than usual."

"Oh," Shizuo said, fishing out a cigarette. "So these will help too, then."

"They should, but don't smoke them now," Izaya said, plucking it out of his hand. "Go drink your milk first."

"I don't want to," Shizuo said obstinately, reaching over for his cigarette. Izaya raised it higher.

"Nu-uh," he grinned, "Go be a good boy."

Shizuo stared up at him for a few moments, then matched his grin. "No."

Izaya yelped as Shizuo's arm shot forward and grabbed his own. He struggled as Shizuo dragged him over the bed and grabbed his arms. Shizuo rolled on top of him, and yanked the cigarette from Izaya's wriggling hands.

"Hah," he smirked, clamping the smoke between his teeth. "I win."

Izaya stuck out his tongue, twisting to kick at Shizuo. Shizuo determinedly pinned Izaya's legs with his own, then grabbed Izaya's hands and slammed them back down on the bed. Shizuo grinned in triumph and looked down at his captive.

Izaya was staring up at him with an odd expression. Shizuo blinked, startled. The other's eyes were glassy and his breathing seemed to have hitched. Shizuo felt his mouth droop slightly open in confusion, and the cigarette slipped from between his teeth. It bounced off Izaya's collarbone to land squarely in the crook of his neck. The other barely glanced at it before returning his gaze to Shizuo.

A bit unnerved by this new silence, Shizuo decided to keep Izaya's hands pinned and get the cigarette another way. Slowly, keeping his eyes on Izaya for any sudden movements, he tilted his head down and tried to grab the smoke with his teeth. He missed, scraping them against Izaya's neck instead.

Shizuo froze as Izaya suddenly arched under him, letting out a small gasp. He licked his lips as something foreign and electric coursed through his system as Izaya all but panted underneath him.

Slowly, he bent his head down once more and bit the same spot experimentally. Izaya quivered, tangling his hands in the sheets he could grip.

Shizuo moved his chin down, finding himself fixating on a certain area on the curve of Izaya's neck. Before his mind could process why, his body lurched forward and he attached his mouth to the spot, flicking his tongue out in an inexplicably practiced manner. Izaya let out a strangled cry, desperately throwing his head to the side.

Shizuo could now barely see with the fog penetrating his brain, destroying his though process. He moved his mouth slowly up to Izaya's own, hovering over tempting lips. His body was _crying, screaming_ at him to_ claim_ them as his own, to _dominate_ this man completely. Dimly, he realized he didn't know why. He gripped Izaya's wrists tightly, brushing his lips against the other with deceiving gentleness.

_Ah… Have to…._

"Off." Izaya said suddenly, twisting his arms out of Shizuo's grip. "Get off me."

Shizuo started as Izaya roughly shoved him away, slipping off the bed. Shizuo gripped the sides of his shirt as realization of what he'd been about to do struck him. He swallowing thickly, affixing his eyes to the floor. _Why… why did I…._

Izaya stood with his back turned, refusing to look at him. "I'm going to take a shower," he said finally, padding over to the bathroom. "Go drink your milk." Shizuo flinched as the door shut with a slam.

* * *

Shizuo popped the top off his bottle, sighing deeply. He ran his hand through his hair, nervously taking a swig of milk. The gentle hum of the shower soothed him for now, but he knew Izaya would be done soon. He fidgeted, gulping the rest of his drink.

_This is… really irritating… _

He nearly dropped his glass when he heard the shower cut off with sharp squeak. He placed his bottle on the nightstand, wringing his hands. He waited a few minutes, listening to Izaya move about the bathroom. He jumped a few feet when the door suddenly opened with a creek.

Izaya stepped out, towel draped over his dripping hair. As he hiked up his pants, he gave Shizuo a long look, who scratched his arm guiltily. Shizuo suddenly paused and looked up, determination in his eye.

"Izaya," he began, "I-"

His apology was cut short as Izaya suddenly flung himself at Shizuo, knocking wind out of the blonde. Shizuo found himself on his back when Izaya suddenly rolled off him, giggling with suppressed laughter. Shizuo gave him a scared look, disturbed by the sudden change in mood.

"That was for pinning me," Izaya grinned, pushing himself up, "And this…"

Shizuo stared as he found Izaya crawling back on top of him, a glint in his eyes. Izaya lowered his face till his nose was brushing gently against Shizuo, who was petrified by this point. He made a muffled noise as Izaya suddenly descended to cover Shizuo's lips with his own.

Izaya stayed there for what felt like an eternity, gently licking and nipping Shizuo's mouth. Finally, he broke the kiss, and pulled back smirking.

"That was for the other thing," he said proudly.

Shizuo stared up at him through vacant eyes, utterly stunned. Izaya waited for a few moments, searching for a response from the other. Bored with the lack of any change, he settled down on Shizuo's chest and closed his eyes.

_He'll come around when he's good and ready._

_

* * *

_

AN: Hm, I updated. And it's not even September.

Good day.


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